BATON ROUGE — A woman accused of yelling “beat his ass” while her boyfriend punched her 11-year-old son & knocking him unconscious, has been charged with child cruelty.
Both Shantia Thomas, 35, and Eric Washington, 40, were charged Tuesday with second-degree cruelty to a juvenile, according to the bill of information. Thomas was arrested June 12 and Washington was arrested July 1. Both were later released on bond.
Someone who saw one of the beatings on June 11 in the 5600 block of McClelland Drive called 911, police records show. When police arrived, both Thomas and Washington fled, Washington’s arrest warrant said.
The injured child was taken to a hospital where he met with Dept. of Children and Family Services and with police, records show. The child, who had a swollen eye and facial bruises, explained that he got into a fight a day earlier with another child.
Later, the warrant said, the child said Thomas got mad at him and “whipped him on his hands with a belt” before switching to a fist and punching him on his right shoulder and back. Thomas then left the house to pick up Washington at work.
The child had some friends over in their back yard when Washington got home from work. The other kids ran away and Thomas’ son ran through the home and then down the street with Washington chasing after him, the warrant said.
Washington caught up with the child, the warrant said, and pushed him before starting to punch him with a closed fist.
“As the victim fled, Washington pursued still beating him on his face and body,” the warrant said. “Thomas urged Washington’s actions by yelling ‘Beat his ass! Beat his ass!'”
The child ran up to a brick wall, and police say Thomas shoved the child in Washington’s direction. The child was then hit with an uppercut punch “striking his left eye and causing tremendous pain,” the warrant said.
He begged his mother to call his father, but she refused. He told police he began to fight back because he “realized he was not going to get help from his mother,” the warrant said.
Then Washington punched him and knocked him unconscious, the child told police. He said that when he regained consciousness, Washington was still hitting him and calling him a “bitch,” the warrant said.
Download the Unfiltered with Kiran app from the Apple App Store and Google Play to stay updated on the latest news across the Capital area.
Support UWK and its mission to deliver The News You Deserve. Unfiltered. Become a monthly patron on Patreon today!
