According to New Haven police, a man is accused of abusing his 12-year-old child on Thursday and is being charged with several offenses. Just before 4 p.m., police were called to Key Food Supermarket, located at 480 Greenwich Ave., in response to a report of a parent hitting his child in the rear parking lot. Police said witnesses reported seeing a man with a box cutter.
Kareem Smalls, 42, of New Haven, was approached by police and told to get on the ground with his hands behind his back. However, police said that he refused and continued to rant at them and the others gathered around him as some attended to the youngster.
Police claimed to have found a box cutter in Smalls’ pocket. When he defied orders and made an attempt to flee, a police K-9 was called in.
“The K-9 officer approached with his canine,” New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson stated. “The man started to run away, so when the K-9 officer grabbed him, there was a struggle, and he was bit by the canine.”
Police then claimed to have taken Smalls into custody.
Smalls was seen “kicking, punching, and hitting the child in the head with keys while s/he was on the ground and dragging the child by the hair,” according to the evidence that the authorities acquired.
“It’s quite horrifying,” New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson stated. “He’s being kicked when he’s on the ground, he’s being struck, he’s being dragged by his hair, he’s being punched with what appears to be keys or keys with a whip on it. It’s a pretty scary assault.”
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According to the authorities, the youngster had swelling in his arms and face, as well as discomfort in his head and legs from being kicked. As of Friday, he was still in the hospital. The kid will be placed in the custody of the Department of Children and Families (DCF), according to police.
“The officers from the Special Victims Unit will be following and working with DCF to make sure the child is safe,” Jacobson stated.
Smalls was taken into custody on charges of second-degree assault, interfering with an officer, and second-degree breach of peace. Smalls is a convicted felon who is not currently on probation. For treatment following the dog bite, he was brought to a hospital.
A judge set Smalls’ bond at $250,000 and issued a protective order for the child during his appearance on Friday morning. The matter wasn’t resolved until August 19.
