Share and Follow
Main: Anthony Grove being questioned by deputies on March 21 (Volusia County Sheriff’s Office). Inset: Grove following his arrest for killing his son (Ohio Dept. of Corrections and Rehabilitation).
In a troubling turn of events, a 44-year-old Ohio father finds himself once again entangled in the criminal justice system. Anthony Benjamin Grove, previously imprisoned for the tragic death of his infant son, has been arrested in Florida amidst the bustling atmosphere of spring break. His arrest comes amid allegations that he exploited his deceased child’s memory to garner sympathy from authorities.
Last week, Grove was apprehended in Daytona Beach, facing several charges, including a parole violation related to his past conviction for the killing of his son, officials reported. This arrest adds another layer of complexity to his already troubled history.
According to a probable cause affidavit, on March 21 at approximately 4 p.m., deputies from the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office noticed two men sitting on a sea wall in the 700 block of North Beach Street. The pair were openly consuming whiskey, and one of the men was subsequently identified as Grove.
A background check quickly revealed Grove’s extensive legal issues, including multiple warrants for his arrest in Ohio. The Ohio State Patrol confirmed that he was on parole for domestic involuntary manslaughter and faced an active warrant for a parole violation dated October 29, 2025.
Grove’s parole conditions were clear: he was required to adhere to all federal, state, and local laws, and he needed official permission to leave Ohio. His recent actions suggest a blatant disregard for these stipulations, leading to his current predicament.
“We find the guy sitting on the seawall drinking booze is wanted out of Ohio,” Chief Deputy Brian Henderson said in a video posted to Facebook.
Henderson said deputies were conducting heightened patrols amid spring break crowds, which had been particularly unruly of late.
“So we arrested the one individual for the open container and asked this guy his name,” Henderson said.
While running a background check, Henderson made small talk with Grove, who allegedly invoked the memory of his dead son in an effort to appear more sympathetic to authorities.
“I asked him if he had any kids, generally as an ice breaker when you’re kind of trying to figure out someone,” Henderson said in an interview with local Fox affiliate WEWS. “And he said, ‘Yeah, I had two kids, and one passed away.’ So I showed him some sympathy about ‘Man, I’m really sorry to hear that.’ Well, he obviously left out one of the big parts.”
Henderson told the station he was not happy when he discovered how Grove’s son had died.
“As a father, that really p—ed me off that some guy would try to get sympathy from a stranger over the loss of his child, knowing that he’s the reason his child is dead,” he said.
Grove had been convicted in 2015 in connection with the death of his 2-month-old son, Zeeland.
According to a 2015 report from the Associated Press, Grove got into an argument with the child’s mother while she was holding the infant and threw a ceramic mug at her. The mug missed the mother but struck the baby in the head. The child was taken to Akron Children’s Hospital for treatment where he died hours later.
Grove, who was initially charged with murder, ultimately pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and child endangering and was sentenced to eight years in prison. He was released in 2023.
“This is the kind of people we don’t need on our beach, we don’t need in our community, and I’m glad we can get him off the sand,” Henderson added.
Florida authorities said Grove also faces new charges, including failure to properly register as a convicted felon and possession of cannabis under 20 grams.
The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office said it is working with Ohio officials to extradite Grove back to the state to face charges for allegedly violating his parole. He is currently being held in the Volusia County Jail without bond, records show.