New Haven police: Father kicked and punched his 12-year-old child

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — A man faces multiple charges after he allegedly assaulted his 12-year-old child on Thursday, according to New Haven police.

Officers responded just before 4 p.m. to Key Food Supermarket at 480 Greenwich Ave. for the report of a father kicking his child in the back parking lot. According to police, witnesses said the man had a box cutter.

Police ordered the man, 42-year-old Kareem Smalls of New Haven, to get on the ground and put his hands behind his back, but police said he refused, yelling at officers and the crowd that had gathered surrounding him while others tended to the boy.

Police said officers could see a box cutter in Smalls’ pocket, and when he continued to refuse commands and attempted to walk away, a police K-9 was deployed.

“The K-9 officer approached with his canine,” New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson said. “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.”

Smalls was then taken into custody, according to police.

Authorities said video footage they recovered showed Smalls “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.”

“It’s quite horrifying,” New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson said. “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.”

The boy had swelling to their arms and face and suffered head and leg pain from being kicked, police said. He remains hospitalized as of Friday.

News 8 obtained video of the incident but has chosen to only show screen captures from it.

Police said the Department of Children and Families (DCF) will take custody of the boy.

“The officers from the Special Victims Unit will be following and working with DCF to make sure the child is safe,” Jacobson said.

Smalls, a convicted felon who is currently not on probation, was arrested for second-degree assault, interfering with an officer and second-degree breach of peace. He was taken to a hospital to be treated for the dog bite.

At his arraignment Friday morning, a judge issued a protective order for the child and set Smalls’ bond at $250,000. The case was continued until Aug. 19.

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