Devain Flores, 33, a former security guard, pleaded guilty to updated charges of child cruelty after a viral video showed him assaulting a three-year old boy. Flores could face a 10-year custodial sentence.
Flores, who lost his job at the National Sports Council following the release of two videos, was initially charged with cruelty to a child. Commissioner of Police Chester Williams, prosecuting the case, is advocating for a custodial sentence to set an example for child abusers.
"I don’t think that this is an offense that requires a fine. As a matter of fact, the offense under Section Sixty, Subsection One of the Criminal Code clearly states that it has a minimum sentence of ten years imprisonment. But we do know that even though that is stipulated by law, the magistrate still has that discretion that they can exercise in not giving a custodial sentence and hence the reason I indicated to the court my intent to seek a custodial sentence when the day of sentencing comes.”
Williams, like the public, was outraged by the video footage and believed that the initial charge of common assault was inadequate. He directed investigators, specifically from the Domestic Violence Unit, to gather additional evidence against Flores. The results were forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecution, who agreed to upgrade the charges.
The updated charges now reflect the severity of the case, where a three-year-old boy was repeatedly beaten by a 33-year-old man. It is the mandate of the Police Department and other organizations to uphold the rights of children.
"We must do our best in making sure that those persons are brought to justice. Over and over, we are seeing that our young people are being abused in various ways, shapes, or forms, and as a responsible organization , we will always do our best in working in conjunction with other organizations. So we have to make sure we do what we can to protect our children. We must send a strong signal to abusers of children that we are not playing; we are serious about this," said the Commissioner.
Flores, who was granted bail on Monday for the lesser charge, will be sentenced on June 3. Earlier this week, the footage released on social media captured Flores as he kicked, stomped, and even slapped the three-year-old multiple times, even as he fell to the ground.
While the child's mother initially refused to press charges against Flores, she eventually did after meeting with the police.