Man accused of striking 6-year-old in head with cellphone for guessing on homework

Clement Watkins, 44, arrested on child abuse charge

SUNRISE, Fla. – A South Florida man was arrested Tuesday, weeks after he struck his 6-year-old son in the head with a cellphone because the child guessed on a homework problem, authorities said.

According to an arrest report, the incident occurred Nov. 3 at a home in the 700 block of Southwest 148th Avenue.

Sunrise police said Clement Watkins, 44, was at the home with his son while the child was doing his homework.

Police said Watkins became angry when the boy guessed on a homework problem and struck him in the head with a cellphone.

The boy began to bleed and Watkins told him to take a shower and clean himself up, authorities said.

According to the arrest report, Watkins never took his son to a doctor nor treated the wound.

Authorities did not disclose who eventually came forward to police regarding the abuse, but said the Broward County sheriff's Child Protective Team evaluated the boy and saw that he had a linear open skin lesion on the right side of his head. 

The boy told authorities Watkins struck him in the head over the homework assignment, the report stated. 

Sunrise police and Child Protective Investigative Services officials went to Watkins' home and questioned him about the incident. Police said he claimed he tossed the phone up three flights of stairs and the boy failed to catch it, so it struck him in the head.

Authorities arrested Watkins on a child abuse charge.

The victim apparently lives with his mother, but spends time with his father and his father's girlfriend. 

The boy's mother was granted a restraining order against Watkins.

He was ordered held in lieu of a $5,000 bond. 


About the Authors:

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.