Dakota Valkyrie
April 25th, 2009, 08:32 PM
http://i39.tinypic.com/43rxu.jpgA 48-year-old man remains in the Duval County Jail accused of beating a 6-year-old boy at an elementary school.
According to the arrest report, Derrick Richards' child and the victim were asking Richards for money for ice cream at Hyde Park Elementary School when Richards struck the boy with a belt several times, and then hit him on the forehead with his hand.
The report said two people witnessed Richards hitting the child, but not what led up to it.
The boy told police that when Richards began hitting him, he threw a rock in self-defense.
Richards said when the told the boy he would not give him money for ice cream, the boy began grabbing the suspect's pockets trying to find money and would not stop when he was told. Richards claimed the boy was kicking him in the legs and threw at least two rocks Richards struck the boy several times with his belt in self-defense.
Police did not observe any marks or bruises on the boy.
When the victim's mother, Mona Johnson-Long, arrived at the school, she told the assistant principal she was not going to wait for police to handle the situation, but would "call both of his daddies and they were going to take care of this." The report noted that the mother was cussing in front of other children before grabbing her son's arm and leaving.
She returned 10 minutes later and said she wanted to press charges against Richards.
[...]
She said when she arrived at the school her child had an ice pack on his head and marks his back.
"My son said to the police officer, 'I didn't ask him for no money. He was calling me stupid and retarded and dummy.' He kept following him and pulling on him, and that's why my son kicked him in the leg and tried to run. That's when he grabbed him and took his belt off and started to beat him," Johnson-Long said.
In a police report Richards stated that he told the boy to stop "or he was going to whip his butt." He said he had to defend himself from the boy and "could not let the victim continue to strike him."
"When I came out the office, the gentleman said he'd do it again," Johnson-Long said.
She said that's when she started cursing at the man.
The school board later sent a letter to the woman, letting her know she is no longer welcome at the school and must call before arriving to pick up her son.
Richards received a similar letter.
Richards, who is listed as being 5 feet 2 inches tall and 260 pounds, remains in jail on one count of child abuse.http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30393658/
According to the arrest report, Derrick Richards' child and the victim were asking Richards for money for ice cream at Hyde Park Elementary School when Richards struck the boy with a belt several times, and then hit him on the forehead with his hand.
The report said two people witnessed Richards hitting the child, but not what led up to it.
The boy told police that when Richards began hitting him, he threw a rock in self-defense.
Richards said when the told the boy he would not give him money for ice cream, the boy began grabbing the suspect's pockets trying to find money and would not stop when he was told. Richards claimed the boy was kicking him in the legs and threw at least two rocks Richards struck the boy several times with his belt in self-defense.
Police did not observe any marks or bruises on the boy.
When the victim's mother, Mona Johnson-Long, arrived at the school, she told the assistant principal she was not going to wait for police to handle the situation, but would "call both of his daddies and they were going to take care of this." The report noted that the mother was cussing in front of other children before grabbing her son's arm and leaving.
She returned 10 minutes later and said she wanted to press charges against Richards.
[...]
She said when she arrived at the school her child had an ice pack on his head and marks his back.
"My son said to the police officer, 'I didn't ask him for no money. He was calling me stupid and retarded and dummy.' He kept following him and pulling on him, and that's why my son kicked him in the leg and tried to run. That's when he grabbed him and took his belt off and started to beat him," Johnson-Long said.
In a police report Richards stated that he told the boy to stop "or he was going to whip his butt." He said he had to defend himself from the boy and "could not let the victim continue to strike him."
"When I came out the office, the gentleman said he'd do it again," Johnson-Long said.
She said that's when she started cursing at the man.
The school board later sent a letter to the woman, letting her know she is no longer welcome at the school and must call before arriving to pick up her son.
Richards received a similar letter.
Richards, who is listed as being 5 feet 2 inches tall and 260 pounds, remains in jail on one count of child abuse.http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30393658/