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Lawrence County Man In Jail, Accused Of Kicking Toddler In Stomach

NEW CASTLE (KDKA) -- A New Castle man is in jail on several charges, after witnesses say he kicked a toddler in the stomach.

New Castle Police say 25-year-old Clinton Davis was watching his girlfriend's 1-year-old daughter at an apartment on East Washington Street Wednesday afternoon. Witnesses say the girl fell off of a chair and started crying.

"The child fell off a chair or something that she was sitting on and this person got up and kicked the child with full force," New Castle Police Lt. David Cumo said.

According to the criminal complaint, Davis yelled at the girl using profanity and then kicked her in the stomach. Witnesses told police Davis grabbed the girl's arm, "threw her out of the door" into the common area of the apartment building, and shut the door.

"It's believed that he grabbed the child by the arm and basically threw her outside the door into a common area of the building," Lt. Cumo said. "[Witnesses] said that he just sat down and continued the conversation without even mentioning or acknowledging that anything happened," Lt. Cumo said.

According to the criminal complaint, officers asked Davis if he kicked the girl and he responded with, "Yeah, but."

"He asked what he was being arrested for. The officer said because you kicked the child, a 1-year-old child, in the stomach. And he said, 'No, I kicked her in the side,'" Lt. Cumo said.

Davis is charged with endangering the welfare of children, simple assault, and harassment.

Police say Davis was watching the girl while her mother was at work. The mother took the toddler to Jameson Hospital for treatment.

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