Father arrested for punching, kicking 12-year-old child at New Haven supermarket

NEW HAVEN, CT (WFSB) - A man faces a number of charges for assaulting and kicking his 12-year-old child.

Police identified the suspect as 42-year-old Kareem Smalls.

He faced a judge on Friday.

Smalls was ordered to be held on $250,000 bond.

Court officials said he is a convicted felon for crimes that included guns.

They also revealed that he has five children.

Police said they were called to Key Foods on Greenwich Avenue on Thursday around 3:50 p.m. for the reported assault.

Witnesses told police that the suspect had a box cutter on him.

When they arrived, a large crowd had surrounded Smalls and tended to the child.

“The first thing he allegedly yelled out is I don’t want to get beat, when he started to run away,” said Honorable Patrick Clifford of New Haven Superior Court.

Police ordered Smalls to the ground and told him to put his hands behind his back. However, they said he refused.

Officers said they could see the box cutter in Smalls’ pocket.

A police K9 was deployed, which led to Smalls being apprehended with bite wounds on his leg.

Police said the child had swelling to the arms and face, and complained of head and leg pain from being kicked.

They said they had video footage of the assault that showed Smalls kicking, punching, and hitting the child in the head with keys while she was on the ground. The footage also showed Smalls dragging the child by the hair.

Smalls was charged with second-degree assault, risk of injury to a minor, interfering with an officer, and second-degree breach of peace.

He was transported to a hospital for dog bite treatment and later taken into custody by officers.

“Given the nature of the injuries here, given the nature of the charges, given the fact there is a continued investigation that could result in more warrants, the state thinks $250,000 is too low. We’d be asking for something more in the line of $500,000,” said Joseph LaMotta, Prosecutor.

LaMotta also said that based on the child appearing to have prior injuries, there could be additional charges.

“A hospital doctor, indicating past injuries I note there is a continued investigation.  That investigation can’t begin because the child is still hospitalized,” he continued.

The judge kept the bond set at $250,000.

The child was transported to a hospital for evaluation. The state Department of Children and Families responded to take custody.

Smalls was ordered to return to court on Aug. 19.