PENSACOLA, USA – In a case that has shocked the Pensacola community, a local woman has been charged with attempted murder after allegedly coercing a 10-year-old girl through the online game Roblox to kill a 2-month-old infant.
Tara Sykes, 37, faces multiple charges, including aggravated child abuse, after authorities uncovered her involvement in a plot that could have ended in tragedy.
The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) became aware of the situation after a forensic interview with the 10-year-old was conducted at the Gulf Coast Kid’s House on October 17.
According to investigators, Sykes manipulated the girl into attempting to murder the infant by instructing her to drown, burn, and drop the baby.
The girl, terrified of Sykes, believed that she would be harmed or killed if she did not comply with the instructions.
The child also told investigators that Sykes had given additional orders to kill her two temporary guardians and their adult daughter by cutting their throats and setting the house on fire.
The chilling details came to light after the adult daughter of the guardians discovered a lighter and bed sheets soaked in aerosol spray, along with screenshots of conversations between Sykes and the 10-year-old on Roblox.
These messages, according to law enforcement, provided crucial evidence of the alleged plot.
“An Unimaginable Level of Cruelty”
Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons expressed horror at the case.
“I’ve seen a lot in my career, but when you hear about and see the circumstances like this here, you’re still amazed at the cruelty people can have,” he told The Pensacola News Journal.
“And in this case, it’s toward a 2-month-old infant. To me, it doesn’t get more evil than that.”
Sykes’ relationship with the 10-year-old has not been publicly disclosed, but Sheriff Simmons emphasized that the actions were not random.
Court records indicate that Sykes is scheduled to be arraigned on November 8.
Previous Child Abuse Allegations Against Sykes
This is not the first time Sykes has faced charges of child abuse.
In May of this year, she and her husband were arrested after authorities discovered their 14-year-old daughter was pregnant with the child of a 20-year-old man, Kyle Myers.
Sykes was charged with child neglect without great bodily harm, a third-degree felony, after investigators learned that the couple allowed Myers to live in their home despite knowing about the pregnancy, which allegedly resulted from sexual assault.
The 14-year-old, who was 31 weeks pregnant when investigators became involved, was reportedly suffering from malnutrition.
Court documents reveal that Sykes and her husband knew about the pregnancy since November 2023 but failed to take action.
During their investigation, deputies found a thumb drive containing explicit messages between Myers and the 14-year-old discussing their sexual relationship and the pregnancy.
Adding to the disturbing nature of the case, Sykes and her husband were also accused of extorting $10,000 from Myers’ grandmother by threatening to harm or kill Myers if she did not pay.
According to the 14-year-old victim, her mother also threatened to starve her unless she agreed to give up the baby to Sykes after birth.
Kyle Myers’ Threats and Legal Troubles
While Myers has not been charged with sexual assault of the 14-year-old, court records show that he is facing charges related to sending death threats.
In July, Tyler Johnson, a friend of the Sykes family, reported receiving threatening Facebook messages from Myers.
The messages, which included statements like “I’m going to gut Tara and slit her throat,” led to charges of writing or sending a threat to kill or injure.
The threats followed an argument between Myers and the Sykes family at their home on Tomlinson Road.
James Sykes told deputies that Myers drove by their house on a motorcycle, revving the engine and allegedly reaching for what appeared to be a firearm.
Despite James Sykes’ claims, deputies reported that the doorbell camera footage, which could have provided crucial evidence, was missing.
It remains unclear whether the footage was intentionally deleted or lost due to technical issues.
As Tara Sykes awaits her November 8 arraignment, the case continues to raise troubling questions about the circumstances that led to such extreme acts of manipulation and abuse.
Authorities are not only investigating the alleged attempted murder but also digging deeper into Sykes’ broader history of child abuse and neglect.
Meanwhile, the safety of the children involved remains a priority for child protective services.
This case underscores the importance of vigilance in monitoring both online and offline interactions between children and adults, particularly in environments where trust is easily exploited.
