TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — A Tallahassee man has been arrested after police say he abused a 6-year-old child and left him with multiple bruises all over his body.
According to court documents, Tallahassee police responded to Talla Villa Apartments in regards to a child abuse investigation on April 19.
Officers say the call notes advised that the Department and Children and Family needed assistance with checking on the welfare of a 6-year-old boy.
Investigators had been made aware of the possible abuse by staff at Pineview Elementary School.
Documents say the child has visible bruises on his upper chest, stomach, and lower back.
Investigators say a witness told them that her long-term boyfriend, Daniel Brown, 34, had hit the child several times with a belt in efforts to discipline him.
On April 23, investigators were able to interview the victim about the incident.
During the interview, documents say the child described being spanked with a belt. The child told investigators that he was scared during the incident and stated that Brown did whoop him by accident in the chest.
After interviewing the victim, officers went to the home and began speaking with Brown about the incident.
Brown told officers that he spanked the child on the butt as a "corrective measure and did not intend to injure him."
Officers say brown denied ever hitting the child with a belt buckle and even stated " the buckle never left my hand."
According to documents, Brown was arrested and transported to the Leon County Detention Facility on Tuesday. He is being charged with cruelty/ child abuse toward a child without great bodily harm.
Court documents also revealed that Brown has a prior history with DCF, where he was listed as the alleged suspect for multiple violent crimes relating to threatening and abusing children.
