OCALA, FL (352today.com) – An Ocala man has been charged with cruelty toward a child.
3:28 p.m. Aug. 21 Update: This story was updated to include additional information from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.
The severity of the injuries sustained by the victim appear to be significant and permanent in nature, with the victim currently in critical condition.
Law enforcement conducted an audio-recorded interview with the victim’s mother, who told authorities that the accused is an Army veteran who was discharged in approximately 2014, isn’t currently working, but is a fulltime student at the University of Phoenix, taking courses online at home. He had left for an appointment at the VA on the morning of Aug. 20 to have some bloodwork done, with the mother staying at home to care for the children.
The victim’s mother explained to authorities that the victim kept talking back, and she was put in time-out, which consists of standing in the corner of the bathroom from 30 to 60 minutes. When the accused returned from his appointment, he asked where the victim was, and he was told she was in time-out.
The mother’s older daughter informed her from a bedroom that she was finished with her schoolwork, so the victim’s mother went to the bedroom, becoming distracted talking for about 20 minutes, when she heard the sound of a smack coming from another room, and the sound of rushing footsteps. She opened the door to find the alleged cradling the victim in his arms, and the victim appeared to be unresponsive. When she asked the accused what happened, he said that he overreacted, and the victim passed out. The victim’s mother told the accused she was going to call 911, however, he said, he would do it, and that he was probably going to go to jail.
When deputies arrived on the scene they were met at the door by the child’s mother, and when she opened the door, authorities observed the accused in the back bedroom with the victim on the bed. The victim had her eyes open but didn’t make eye contact with the deputy. The accused had a device up to the victim’s mouth, one that could be heard audibly, however, the deputy observed blood on the mask and what appeared to be blood on the victim’s nose and face. The victim’s breathing was heavy and labored. The victim had a severe injury around her left eye.
Authorities also observed old scarring that was rather extensive, with 50 or more scars in an up and down direction on the child’s belly and chest.
The accused who is suffering from sleep apnea, post-traumatic stress disorder and intermittent explosive disorder, was transported to the MCSO criminal investigations division for further questioning, where he admitted to authorities that he struck the victim with a brown belt multiple times, and also hit her in the face with his hand, when at some point she became unresponsive. The alleged attempted to use water from the bathtub and the mask from the continuous positive airway pressure mask to revive her.
The alleged during the interview also shared with law enforcement that he had done a search on his phone of YouTube videos regarding gentle parenting as physical discipline on the child was no longer effective.
Gregory Blackmon, 36, was arrested Aug. 20, by Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputies. The alleged was charged with aggravated child abuse, a felony, and was booked into the Marion County Jail Wednesday afternoon.
A call to a home about a child convulsing would reveal something far more sinister.
When law enforcement responded to the scene, they encountered the accused holding a continuous positive airway pressure mask to the victim’s mouth. The victim was struggling to breathe and unresponsive. However, in addition to her respiratory distress, the victim was bloody and had bruises that were visible.
The accused was questioned about the victim by authorities and admitted he had used a belt to strike the victim, and that he had overreacted because of her disrespectful behavior. The alleged also admitted he had punched the child in her face.
The victim was transported to the hospital, where staff found the victim had suffered a brain bleed and fractured ribs, with evidence suggesting that she had been abused previously.