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December 23, 2024
December 17, 2024

Man arrested in Whitfield County for slapping, ‘smothering’, 9-year-old girl

Written by: E. George

Published December 17, 2024 @ 12:40 PM ET

Warning: The following story contains information regarding alleged physical violence against children.

WHITFIELD COUNTY, Ga. – On November 20, 2024, Dalton Police officers arrested a man when they responded to a domestic incident and discovered a juvenile female with visible injuries who said Tony Lee Parris Jr. had caused them while intoxicated. The officers noticed and photographed an injury below the nine-year-old girl’s eye.

The victim and her siblings, ages two, five, and 16, who witnessed the attack, explained that Parris Jr. had become too rough while wrestling with them on the couch. When the victim screamed and told him he was hurting her, he slapped her face, grabbed her by the arm, and “slung” her onto the couch.

She said he slapped her because she was crying for help. She continued to scream for her mother, and Parris Jr. responded by smothering her until she could not breathe. When the officers asked her to elaborate, she described how the suspect strangled her with his hands around her neck.

The teenage daughter explained that she had heard the disturbing sounds from upstairs and came down to investigate. When she saw Parris Jr. hurting her sister, she yelled at him to stop, but he redirected his yelling now at her.

Unbeknownst to him, she had pressed record on the phone in her pocket and recorded nearly three minutes of the incident, which she played for the officers. They heard the suspect yelling, cussing, and berating the children.

Their grandmother reported hearing the commotion and finding Parris Jr. “throwing things around and breaking stuff.” There was spaghetti sauce on the floor and a large overturned fan that the suspect had damaged.

The children’s mother explained that the suspect, a friend, was renting her garage as living space but had not worked or paid rent despite moving in over two months prior. She said he gets intoxicated and becomes angry and violent with her and her children.

When they began interviewing Parris Jr., he refused to identify himself and remained noncompliant and hostile throughout his arrest. He repeatedly asked why he was being arrested after the officers already answered him, and they had to physically maneuver him inside the patrol vehicle.

Parris Jr. faces charges of aggravated assault with an “other” weapon, battery – family violence, child cruelty – criminal negligence, criminal trespass with damage of $500 or less, three counts of child cruelty – allowing to witness battery, and willful obstruction of law enforcement officers. This case is pending.

Officer’s Narrative:
[Please note: The following is a direct transcription from the official initial incident report. The Georgia Gazette does not fix any spelling or grammatical errors that may exist. Any changes or redactions made by our staff are placed inside brackets. Some errors may exist. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The topics discussed may be sensitive to some readers. Discretion is advised.]

On this date, 11/20/2024, Officer Miller and I responded to [REDACTED BY AGENCY] in reference to a domestic dispute in progress. The caller was not on scene but stated that she got a text from someone on scene stating that a male subject put his hands on an 8 year old child. When I arrived on scene the caller, [REDACTED], was outside of her own residence, [REDACTED BY AGENCY]. [REDACTED] stated that she received a text from the mother, [WITNESS #1], stating that a male on scene, Tony Parris, was intoxicated and had been physical with her 9 year old daughter. [REDACTED] stated that she had not been in the house, but she believed things may have calmed down, but also being ramping up again.

I then went to [REDACTED BY AGENCY] and rang the door bell. Tony Parris then answered the door. Tony was obviously heavily intoxicated as he was swaying back and forth and had a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from his person. Tony also appeared angry and asked me what I wanted. I asked him if we could come in and speak with him and he said no. Tony then closed the door and stepped out. Tony stated that he would speak with us outside. I asked Tony if he had been drinking tonight and he said yes. I asked him what happened between him and his 9 year old daughter. Tony stated that he did not have a 9 year old daughter. I asked him who the kids inside the residence belonged to. Tony stated that the kids were not his and asked again why we were there. I asked him what happened between he and the 9 year old girl inside. He stated that nothing happened. I said, “okay well we are here because we received a 911 call that you physically assaulted the 9 year old female.” Tony declined anything happening at all.

While speaking with Tony I continued ringing the doorbell until [WITNESS #2] answered the door. [WITNESS #2] stated that she was the grandmother of the children inside and her daughter, [WITNESS #1], was the mother. At this time [WITNESS #1] also came to the door and advised me that I could come in and speak with her. I asked [WITNESS #1] what happened tonight. [WITNESS #1] stated that she did not want Tony to know that she was the reason that the police were called. [WITNESS #1] stated that this would cause issues for her in the future. I told her that I understood. [WITNESS #1] stated that Tony had been drinking and he often gets angry when he is intoxicated. She stated that she was upstairs when she heard a lot of yelling and screaming coming from Tony and her children downstairs. [WITNESS #1] stated that when she went to investigate Tony and her 16 year old daughter were arguing and yelling.

[WITNESS #1] went on to explain that she has recently had issues with [REDACTED BY AGENCY] attitude so she believed that [REDACTED BY AGENCY] was the one causing the issue, but [VICTIM #1] walked out and left the residence before they had a chance to discuss what happened. I asked [WITNESS #1] if something happened between Tony and he 9 year old daughter and she stated that she did not know. I then asked her if she could have her children come downstairs to speak with me. [VICTIM #2] (9 years old) and [VICTIM #3] (5 years old) then came down stairs. I asked [VICTIM #2] if I could speak with her and at first she seemed very scared to talk to me. I ensured her that she was not in trouble and I was only here to help. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] then opened up and began to explain what happened. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] stated that Tony had been playing with her and two of her siblings [VICTIM #3] and [REDACTED BY AGENCY] [REDACTED] (2 years old). She stated that they were wresting on the couch when Tony began to get too rough.

[REDACTED BY AGENCY] stated that she began to scream and tell Tony that he was hurting her. She stated that Tony then grabbed her by her arm and slung her onto the couch. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] stated that she began to scream for help from her mom and that is when Tony began to smother her until she could not breathe. I asked her what she meant by this and she stated that Tony “choked her” around her neck. While I am aware that choking occurs inside the body I recognized that [REDACTED BY AGENCY] was trying to say that Tony strangled her. While speaking with [REDACTED BY AGENCY] I could see an obvious visible injury underneath her eye. I took a photo of this and asked her what happened here. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] then stated that Tony had slapped her in her face before he slung her on the couch by her arm. She stated that he did this because she was screaming for help.

While [REDACTED BY AGENCY] was telling me what happened both [REDACTED BY AGENCY] and [REDACTED BY AGENCY] stated that Tony was hurting them too. I asked [REDACTED BY AGENCY] if he could explain how Tony hurt him, but he was unable to. I did not see any visible injuries on [REDACTED BY AGENCY] or [REDACTED BY AGENCY]. [WITNESS #1] stated that she did not know that Tony had done this to [REDACTED BY AGENCY] until [REDACTED BY AGENCY] told me herself. [WITNESS #1] hugged [REDACTED BY AGENCY] and asked her why she did not tell her what happened. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] told [WITNESS #1] that she was screaming for help, but she never came. [WITNESS #1] then explained that she know believed that this is what [REDACTED BY AGENCY] and Tony were screaming about before she came down stairs and yelled at [REDACTED BY AGENCY]. I asked her where [REDACTED BY AGENCY] was and she stated that she would find out. [WITNESS #1] texted [REDACTED BY AGENCY] who asked her mom to come pick her up from Krystal’s, [REDACTED BY AGENCY]

I then asked Officer Warnix to go to this location and locate [REDACTED BY AGENCY]. He advised a short time later that he had located her walking not far away. I asked him to give her a ride back to the house to speak with me. I then spoke with [WITNESS #1]’s mother, [WITNESS #2]. I asked [WITNESS #2] if she could tell me what she witnessed. [WITNESS #2] stated that she was downstairs after [REDACTED BY AGENCY] left when Tony was throwing things around and breaking stuff. [WITNESS #2] stated that Tony was angry and began making a mess of the living room and kitchen. [WITNESS #2] was already trying to clean up the kitchen, but I could see an empty glass jar of spaghetti sauce on the floor and sauce all of the floor. I could also see in the living room floor a large stand fan on the ground. This item was broken and [WITNESS #1] stated that it cost approximately $200. She also advised that it was not broken before and she believed this was the large thud that she heard while she was upstairs that made her text her neighbor and ask them to call 911. I took photos of the living room and kitchen and these are attached to the report.

I later asked [WITNESS #1] what her relationship to Tony was. She stated that they are just friends and Tony was supposed to be renting her garage from her to live in, but he has been without a job for a while and has not paid her anything. I asked her how long she and Tony had been living together and she stated that they had lived together for over 2 months now.

I then went outside where Officer Miller was still outside with Tony. Officer Miller stated to me that Tony was refusing to identify himself to him. I said, “that’s okay he is under arrest anyway.” I then placed Tony in handcuffs and double locked them. Tony asked me what he was under arrest for and I told him that he was under arrest for aggravated assault, battery, cruelty to children, and criminal trespass. I then asked Tony to tell me his last name and date of birth and he still refused. I then told him that he would additionally be charged with obstruction. I then asked Officer Miller to search Tony and place him in the back seat of my car.

While Officer Miller searched Tony in front my patrol car I began attempting to identify Tony by using my computer. While doing this I could hear Tony screaming and cussing at Officer Miller. Tony kept asking what he was under arrest for. I told Tony that I had already told him and we were not going to keep repeating it to him. When Officer Miller attempted to place Tony in the back seat I heard Tony scream at Officer Miller again and attempt to pull away from him. I then jumped out of the driver seat and opened the back driver door to my car. When I did this I could see that Officer Miller had pushed Tony into the seat, but Tony would not scoot all of the way in so that Officer Miller could shut the door. I then reached and pulled Tony by his torso the rest of the way into the patrol car. Officer Miller was then able to close the passenger side door. I then closed the driver side door. Tony was not seat belted in due to his signs of aggression while being placed in the car.

At this time Officer Warnix and [REDACTED BY AGENCY] were arriving on scene. I then made contact with [REDACTED BY AGENCY] and asked if she was okay. She stated that she was not hurt. I asked her if she could tell me what happened. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] stated that she was upstairs when she heard her sister [REDACTED BY AGENCY] and brother [VICTIM #3] screaming downstairs. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] stated that it did not sound like playful screaming so she went to check on them. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] stated that when she came down the stairs she saw Tony being rough with [REDACTED BY AGENCY] throwing her on the couch. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] stated that [REDACTED BY AGENCY] was telling him that it hurt and screaming. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] stated that Tony then slapped across her face and told her to quit crying. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] stated that Tony then slung [REDACTED BY AGENCY] onto the couch by her arm and then held her down by her chest/neck area with his hands. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] stated that it looked like Tony was strangling [REDACTED BY AGENCY]

[REDACTED BY AGENCY] stated that when she saw this she yelled and asked what was going on. She stated that Tony got off of [REDACTED BY AGENCY], but then began screaming and cussing at her telling her to mind her own business. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] stated that at this time she began recording using her cell phone to take a video. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] explained she kept her phone in her pocked so Tony would not see it so there was only audio. She then showed me the video which was 2 minutes and 44 seconds long. I listened to the video and could hear Tony screaming and cussing at [VICTIM #1] stating that she was the one always causing problems in the house. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] questioned Tony asking him how she was the one causing a problem when all she asked was what was going on. Tony continued to scream at her and berate her. At the 1 minute and 36 second mark in the video [WITNESS #1] can be heard asking what is going on. At this time all of the other children begin to scream and cry as Tony continues to scream saying that [REDACTED BY AGENCY] was causing problems.

I asked [REDACTED BY AGENCY] who all witnessed what happened to [REDACTED BY AGENCY] and she advised that both [REDACTED BY AGENCY] and [REDACTED BY AGENCY] were present when she witnessed the assault on [REDACTED BY AGENCY] from the stairs. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] then went inside with her mother and Officer Miller provided [WITNESS #1] with a victim’s bill of rights form. I also explained bond conditions to [WITNESS #1] and told her that if Tony returned to the house without the police after he bonded out then she needed to call 911.

I then transported Tony to the Whitfield County Jail. Once on scene at the jail I secured my firearm in the lock box located inside of my patrol vehicle. I then escorted Tony inside and turned him over to the booking staff. I then charged Tony on warrantless arrest from # 69698 with:

16-5-21 aggravated assault (FVA)
16-5-23.1 battery (FVA)
16-5-70(c) cruelty to children in the 2nd degree (FVA)
16-5-70(d) cruelty to children in the 3rd degree (FVA) – 3 counts
16-7-21 criminal trespass (FVA)
16-10-24 obstruction

This case is cleared by arrest.

[End of Narrative]