A Florida teenager, Julien Welch-Beddoe, 19, is facing manslaughter charges following the fatal assault of his father, 45-year-old Francis Welch. The incident, which occurred on the evening of January 19, reportedly stemmed from a dispute over a meal.
According to the arrest report, the conflict ignited when Welch-Beddoe prepared a meal for himself. His father, who felt his son was undeserving of the meal due to his jobless status, allegedly initiated a physical altercation. Despite the disagreement, Welch-Beddoe proceeded with his meal and was purportedly shoved by his father while carrying his food to his room.
The situation intensified when Welch-Beddoe allegedly put his father in a headlock and delivered several blows to his ribs. The physical confrontation continued on the floor, where Welch-Beddoe reportedly placed his father in a chokehold. Welch’s fiancee intervened and managed to separate the two. After the altercation, Welch-Beddoe retreated to his room.
Shortly thereafter, Welch-Beddoe heard his father’s fiancee shouting, signaling a serious situation. Upon returning to the living room, he found his father unresponsive. The arrest report detailed Welch’s condition, stating that he was breathing through his mouth and his complexion had turned pale. Emergency medical services were promptly called.
Welch was transported to Orlando Health Melbourne Hospital, where he was declared dead shortly after midnight on January 20. A subsequent autopsy revealed that Welch had succumbed to internal bleeding caused by a laceration from one of his three fractured ribs, leading authorities to rule the death a homicide.
Following the incident, Welch-Beddoe ceased cooperation with law enforcement and sought legal counsel. He was formally charged with manslaughter and arrested on February 5. He is currently detained at the Brevard County Jail on a $50,000 bond, with his next court appearance slated for March 25.