A Jonesboro man is facing felony charges after police alleged he struck a 9-year-old child with an extension cord, leaving welts and breaking the skin.
Teion Bartholomew Pruitt, 20, was charged with two counts of second-degree domestic battering, a Class B felony, after a Craighead County judge determined there was probable cause to arrest him. Judge Thomas Fowler set Pruitt’s bond at $75,000.
Authorities responded to an apartment on Melrose Street on Nov. 8 after receiving a report of loud crying and noises indicating a child was being hit repeatedly for about 20 minutes, according to court documents. At the scene, officers spoke with the mother of a 4-year-old and a 9-year-old and noted that Pruitt was also present, Detective Bruce Wright stated.
The mother reportedly told officers she had disciplined the children after a dog soiled the floor. During welfare checks, officers observed injuries on the children. The affidavit described a "large, fresh, raised looping welt" on the 9-year-old's left arm and similar injuries on the stomach and right side, as well as a smaller welt on the 4-year-old's right buttock.
When questioned separately, the 9-year-old told officers that Pruitt had hit him with an extension cord. Pruitt later admitted to spanking the child but initially claimed a dog caused the injuries. Detectives noted that photographs of the wounds appeared consistent with being struck by a folded cord, creating a half-loop pattern at the striking end.
Pruitt remains in custody at the Craighead County Detention Center while awaiting a court appearance scheduled for Dec. 16. Judge Fowler ordered that if he is released on bond, Pruitt is to have no contact with the victims.
This case remains under investigation.