A Hillsborough County man charged with three counts of aggravated child abuse and child neglect has been released from custody by a judge after prosecutors failed to schedule a hearing.
Eddie Tignor’s public defender asked the judge to release his client. Judge Gregory Holder gave the go-ahead.
“Consistent with Florida law and in the absence of the information not filed, I will order Mr. Tignor be released,” said Holder.
Under Florida law, the State Attorney’s Office has 21 days to file charges or the defendant is released.
Charges against Tignor have since been dropped and he is now a free man.
Detectives said the charges were a result of an incident where a child in his care had broken ribs, chipped bones, bite marks, cuts and bruises. According to an arrest report, Tignor admitted to some of the child abuse.
Tignor is still facing other charges from an unrelated incident.