Tennessee man charged in daughter’s beating

Published 8:57 am Thursday, January 30, 2020

NASHVILLE (AP) — A Tennessee girl who showed up at school with bruises allegedly was beaten by her father later in the day after officials sent her home, police said.

The 36-year-old man was charged with aggravated child abuse Monday, WZTV-TV reported. He also was arrested on two outstanding warrants.

School employees alerted a child welfare agency after the girl arrived at her Nashville school Monday with welts and bruises on her arms and legs, according to a police affidavit. After interviewing the father, agency workers determined the girl could stay in her father’s home.

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Police later went to the home for a welfare check on the girl after others were unable to get in touch with her. Police took the father into custody when the outstanding warrants were discovered, the affidavit said.

The girl then told officers her father allegedly used a belt to beat her, choked her and locked her in a closet.

The girl has been placed under the care of a relative.

Her father has been jailed on $110,000 bond. It wasn’t immediately known whether he has an attorney.