Inset: Christopher Maurice Lee (Brunswick County Jail via WECT). Background: The Sunset Beach Pier in Sunset Beach, North Carolina, where Lee allegedly dunked a girl into the water against her will (Sunset Beach Pier/Facebook).

Authorities have charged Christopher Maurice Lee and Lesley Suzanne McClam with first-degree misdemeanor child abuse. This information comes from a press release issued by the Sunset Beach Police Department.

The unsettling event took place soon after 6:30 p.m. on Friday at Sunset Beach Pier. An eyewitness called 911, reporting that Lee was “intentionally holding a child upside down by her legs, with her face submerged in the water against her will while she was screaming and crying,” according to police statements.

A probable cause affidavit further details that Lee repeatedly submerged the child’s head underwater despite her desperate pleas for him to stop. Allegedly, McClam stood by and did not intervene during the incident.

The police department acknowledged that videos and posts about the incident have been circulating on social media. They emphasized that ensuring the safety and well-being of children in the community is their top priority. They urge anyone with more information to reach out to Detective Sergeant Miloszar at (910) 880-8512.

“We are aware that social media posts and videos related to this incident have circulated. The safety and well-being of every child in our community remains our highest priority,” cops wrote in the press release. “Anyone who witnessed the incident or has additional information is encouraged to contact Detective Sergeant Miloszar at (910) 880-8512.”

Officers identified Lee and McClam as the suspects and took them to the Brunswick County Jail. They have each since posted a $1,000 bond and they are slated to appear in court on May 27.

The North Carolina Department of Social Services was also notified about the incident and is conducting its own investigation, police said.