A 5-year-old boy who reportedly slapped an 8-year-old girl on a northwest Gainesville playground Friday was arrested by a police officer on battery charges and taken to a juvenile jail.
The charges have been dropped, but the boy's mother is upset the officer didn't separate the children and diffuse the playground squabble the way parents typically would.
"When the officer called me, I thought my son was hurt or injured. I was like, 'You're telling me you arrested him? You took him away?' I cannot believe that," she said. "His grandfather was there. . . . The officer told me the girl's mother was out of control and hysterical and that she wanted to press charges. I think he reacted to her feelings instead of acting as an officer of the law and try to calm her down."
The incident occurred about 5:20 p.m. at Westside Park at 1001 NW 34th St. The boy's grandfather had taken him and several of the boy's cousins to the park to play. His mother said the children's grandfather often took them to parks while the children were in his care.
An 8-year-old Bronson girl was trying to get on the merry-go-round with several boys. The children began squabbling, and the boy slapped the girl in the face, leaving a red mark, Officer Keith Kameg said. The girl's mom called police.
Officer Justin Bayless-Sakellarios spoke with the girl's mother and the boy's grandfather. Kameg said the officer considered filing a sworn complaint against the boy, which would have brought charges against the boy through the State Attorney's Office without an arrest. However, the officer could not get information such as the boy's date of birth from the grandfather, Kameg said.
The girl's mother was adamant that charges be filed, Kameg said. Bayless-Sakellarios decided to take the boy to the juvenile detention facility on a battery charge. He called the boy's mother, who picked him up. The boy was at the facility about an hour.
Sergeants who learned of the arrest Friday immediately decided not to file charges against the boy and notified his mother. An internal investigation will be done of Bayless-Sakellarios' decision to haul the southwest Gainesville boy to the county juvenile detention facility.
"This has been horrible," the boy's mother said. "My son has had a few sleepless nights, and I've had trouble sleeping. I never, ever thought this would have happened in my wildest dreams. I feel the officer needs to be handled in some way. This officer made a wrong call. You cannot redeem or undo what is done. My son has been traumatized."
Bayless-Sakellarios said Monday he could not comment on the matter.
The Sun does not print the names of young children involved with police cases. Police are not releasing the name of the girl or her mother.
The boy's mother said Bayless-Sakellarios insisted at the facility that charges were going to be filed with the State Attorney's Office.
Sgts. Greg Armagost and Bill Benck learned of the charges when Bayless-Sakellarios returned to the station. They decided not to file charges and called the boy's mother.
It is not uncommon for officers to call sergeants or lieutenants for advice on a case. That was not done by Bayless-Sakellarios.
Chief Norman Botsford would say only that the case is under internal review. Bayless-Sakellarios has worked at GPD since October 1996.
Cindy Swirko can be reached at 374-5024 or swirkoc@gvillesuncom.