Ex-boyfriend accused of burning mom, son with chemicals

A Brevard County woman and her teenage son are recovering after police said they were burned with chemicals at the hands of the mother’s ex-boyfriend.

Police arrested Fredrick Rogers on charges of aggravated battery and dating violence. He remains locked up on $600,000 bond.

Investigators said Rogers, 50, had been harassing his ex-girlfriend after they split two weeks before the attack Wednesday night.

Detectives said she had filed a restraining order, but it had not yet been served.

“In the past couple of weeks, we’ve heard a lot of fighting and yelling going on over there,” said Amanda Duby, who lives three houses down on Helias Street from the victim, Cindy Cook.

According to investigators, Rogers pulled to Cook’s house just before 8 p.m. Wednesday, as she was backing out of the driveway, with her son in the passenger seat of her car.

“He got out of his vehicle, they got into a verbal confrontation, then he took the drain cleaner and threw it onto her and her 14-year-old son,” said Palm Bay Detective Steve Hill.

Investigators said it was some type of an industrial drain cleaner, possibly containing acid.

Cook suffered severe burns to approximately 30 percent of her body, while the teen suffered less serious burns.

“It could be life-changing injuries,” said Hill.

Cook was flown to a local hospital for treatment, while the teen was flown to an Orlando burn hospital for children.

Detectives said the attack was not planned, but opportunistic, as Rogers works as a handyman with access to those types of cleaners.

“He didn’t seem to be too concerned she was injured,” said Hill. “When I told him she was injured pretty severely and flown to Orlando, he didn’t seem concerned she was injured. He didn’t seem concerned about the child.”

“I don’t know what he was thinking, but it’s not right,” said Duby.

Rogers was arrested shortly afterward. His next court hearing was scheduled for Oct. 5.