Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Sasha Jean-Baptiste, 33, was taken into custody yesterday after authorities said she injured two small children, leaving visible scarring.
Gainesville Police Department officers were called on July 4 to a home in the Woodland Terrace area, where a male witness reported that Jean-Baptiste had used force against two children, ages 4 and 1, causing injuries that left scars.
According to the report, the male witness told officers he had observed numerous injuries on the children that appeared while they were under Jean-Baptiste’s supervision. He also said her behavior toward the children had recently become more emotional, angry, and aggressive. The witness reportedly told police that when the children are alone with Jean-Baptiste in a bedroom, he hears loud impacts against the walls and believes she throws them into the wall when she becomes upset.
The responding officer noted that the four-year-old had a long, narrow scar across the upper back, a scab on the lower back, and scabs on a forearm. The one-year-old reportedly had three scars on her face.
After being advised of her Miranda rights, Jean-Baptiste reportedly denied being overly physical with the children, saying she only spanks them when she believes it is absolutely necessary. She said she does raise her voice but never does more than “pop” the children, and she demonstrated what she meant by striking her own arm with force.
Asked to explain the children’s injuries, Jean-Baptiste reportedly described the older child as “very active and clumsy,” saying he often runs into objects while moving around and that she is working on correcting the behavior. She attributed the younger child’s facial scars to bug bites that had been scratched. When officers asked why the children only appeared to be hurt after being alone with her, she reportedly answered that they “run into everything.”
A female witness who also lives in the residence reportedly gave a different account, saying the older child is well coordinated and has strong gross motor skills for his age. She said he plays throughout the home without falling or bumping into objects, except when he is in Jean-Baptiste’s room, and that the children can play in their own bedroom without being hurt. The witness reportedly said new injuries are consistently noticed after the children have been alone with Jean-Baptiste. She added that when the children are in Jean-Baptiste’s room, she hears loud noises resembling something hitting the walls, followed by a child screaming; afterward, she said, Jean-Baptiste claims the children injured themselves. The witness also reported that Jean-Baptiste and the male witness argue “constantly” about what he believes is excessive force toward the children, but Jean-Baptiste does not respond to the criticism. She said the male witness has begun staying home more often to keep the children from being left alone with Jean-Baptiste.
A second female witness concurred that the older child is athletic and very capable for his age, and she said neither child is clumsy. She described the children as “acrobatic, adventurous, and strong.”
A second male witness reportedly agreed that the children “are athletic and have great coordination.”
Jean-Baptiste has been charged with two counts of child abuse without great bodily harm. She has no local criminal history, and Judge Jonathan Ramsey set bail at $20,000.
Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
