1 week Ago
A Tampa, Florida, man was arrested last week on suspicion of tackling an 11-year-old girl he believed had been throwing eggs at his home, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said. “This type of behavior is not only unacceptable, it’s reprehensible,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a post on X. “The safety of our children is non-negotiable.
” Video taken by a bystander and released by authorities on Monday shows Marius Mutu, 43, pinning down the unidentified child who screams for help and insists she has done nothing wrong, the sheriff’s office said. “I wasn’t doing anything, I swear to God!”, the girl is heard screaming in the video as she tries squirming away. “Help me! Help me!” A man, who the sheriff’s office says is Mutu, is seen grabbing her arms and forcing them to her sides as neighbors responded to the commotion and confronted him.
“Get off of her,” a woman is heard shouting at the man in the video. “Get your hands off of her!” another person is heard shouting before he sprints into the frame. Sheriff deputies arrived at the scene around 12:05 p.
m. Saturday, where Mutu told them someone had been egging his apartment for the last week, the sheriff’s office said. When it happened again that day, Mutu assumed the girl walking nearby was responsible, he told authorities.
Mutu told deputies he was attempting to take a photo of the child so he could report the incident to apartment management, the sheriff’s office said. He was arrested on site and charged with one count of battery and one count of false imprisonment, according to county arrest records. “This child endured a terrifying and traumatic experience at the hands of someone who chose to take matters into his own hands,” Chronister said.
“We remain committed to protecting our children and ensuring those who harm them are held fully accountable.” County records indicate Mutu was released on bond, but it was not immediately clear whether Mutu had hired or been assigned an attorney. CNN has sought comment from Mutu.
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