A Florida man ended up in jail after an incident where he allegedly injured his 2-year-old cousin's groin while babysitting and claimed he was trying to perform a "circumcision" on the child, as stated by the Holly Hill Police Department.
Timothoes Powell was arrested and charged with aggravated child abuse following an incident that occurred on October 17 in Daytona Beach, according to a police report.
Powell was taking care of his 2-year-old cousin while the child's mother was at work. Their grandparents were also at home during the incident but were asleep at the time, according to the police.
Around 7 p.m., Powell called the child's mother, informing her that the boy was "bleeding from his penis area because glass had entered his diaper," as mentioned in the report. Powell explained that he attempted to clean it, inadvertently causing the skin to break.
The boy was taken to a local hospital, where his injury required gluing to repair, the report stated. The hospital alerted the authorities because they suspected possible abuse at the residence.
Surveillance cameras inside the house captured Powell changing the child's diaper, walking away with an unidentified object, and the toddler crying. Another video showed Powell appearing "frustrated" while dealing with the diaper, with additional footage showing him yelling at the child, using a water bottle on him, and threatening to use soap if the toddler wasn't quiet.
In discussions with the police before his arrest, Powell claimed he noticed the bleeding when changing the diaper and suggested that a piece of glass may have been the cause. He admitted to becoming frustrated and losing his temper, asserting that he didn't intentionally cut the child.
An advanced practice nurse from the Child Protection Team (CPT) confirmed child abuse during the investigation. Although the surveillance footage didn't show explicit abuse, the nurse found the laceration on the child's groin to be too clean and precise for an accidental injury.
Furthermore, the nurse suggested that the injury seemed deliberate, as if someone had tried to perform a circumcision. Powell's statements were inconsistent with the boy's injuries, according to the Child Protection Team.
Powell remains in custody at the Volusia County Branch Jail with a $100,000 bond.
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