A Florida lawmaker was charged with aggravated child abuse Thursday in Volusia County, Fla., WFTV, Fox 35 and Spectrum News reported.
On Wednesday, Orange County Deputy Tristan Chattic allegedly choked, stood on and hit his 13-year-old daughter with a belt because he was angry that she was using a tablet to help her with homework, according to an arrest affidavit from the Volusia Sheriff’s Office. Fox 35.
Volusia County deputies responded to Fish Memorial Hospital after receiving a report of a domestic violence issue. Upon arrival, Chattic’s wife told authorities they feared her daughter was injured, according to the affidavit.
Stock image of a child using a tablet.
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The victim was doing homework while using a tablet when she used the device’s Alexa feature to answer a question about her homework. Chattic then allegedly became angry with her for using the tablet and turned off the device, prompting his daughter to turn it back on. As a result, Chattic “became extremely angry,” according to the affidavit.
He allegedly shouted at her, slapped her, grabbed her by the hair and choked her. The affidavit states that he also pushed her off the chair, causing her to hit her head on the floor. Chattic then allegedly stepped on the 13-year-old’s back while pinning her down. He then hit her with a belt while standing on her back, according to the affidavit.
Chattic’s wife saw her husband stand on their daughter’s back as he hit her, according to the affidavit. However, she did not see the start of the fight. She “went to intervene, but (Chattic) was furious at that point.”
His wife also told deputies that Chattic had recently become “very erratic” and could not control his temper, according to the affidavit. She allegedly claimed that Chattic “never got physical, but he is very mentally and emotionally abusive.”
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When questioned later, Chattic told deputies he was upset because his daughter had been fined and was not allowed to have electronics. In an attempt to “frighten” her, he claims he “gently” grabbed her, according to the affidavit.
Volusia County deputies were notified that the home had an in-home video camera – to monitor if the children ate snacks after bedtime. However, deputies shared that the dashcam footage had no footage, and due to the “suspicious nature” Chattic was then arrested.
Chattic, 39, was taken into custody Wednesday and released Thursday on $5,000 bail. He has been suspended from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office without pay while the criminal case is pending. He has been employed at OCSO since February 2015.
“These are extremely serious criminal charges. At the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, we hold our deputies to the highest ethical standards whether on or off duty,” Orange County Sheriff John Mina said in a statement, according to Spectrum News.
“I have a zero tolerance policy for child abuse – or any form of domestic violence,” Sheriff Mina continued. “These allegations will be thoroughly investigated and the results of that investigation will be made public.”
She vomited in court when she was shown photos of her son, whom she starved and tortured. A few weeks later, she was given a life sentence
Chattic’s trial is set for Feb. 29 in Volusia County Circuit Court.
Representatives from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and the Volusia Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for more information Thursday.
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If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
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Source: HIS Education