Gainesville Man Arrested for Assault and Child Cruelty

Gainesville Police Department officers arrested Jeffrey Davis, 53, Tuesday and charged him with assault and child cruelty. 

According to the arrest report, the adult victim told police that she was folding laundry when she heard the four-year-old victim fall to the ground. The adult victim exited the room and saw Davis striking the child victim with a leather belt. 

Davis reportedly hit the child victim in their ribs and legs while he tried to crawl away. 

The adult victim began arguing with Davis over his treatment of the child. The argument reportedly escalated when Davis swung a child seat at her. 

The victim told police that Davis didn‘t hit her physically but swung the seat near her.

According to the arrest report, Davis told police he didn’t want to answer any questions, only saying that “Whatever the [adult victim] stated happened, is what happened;” however, he later denied that anything physical occurred.

Davis is being held in the Alachua County Jail on a $12,000 bond.