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A 42-year-old Tempe man was arrested April 17 on the 2000 block of East Lemon Street on suspicion of child abuse, according to a police report.
Witnesses said they saw the man stand over his 7-year-old daughter, who was in the fetal position, and punch her head six to eight times, resulting in a bloody nose, police said.
When police contacted the man, he told them he had slapped his daughter’s arm when she misbehaved earlier and denied using physical force, the report said.
Police spoke to the daughter who said her father had spanked her on the mouth and police noticed a visible injury on her upper lip, police said.
The man was arrested at about 6:20 p.m. and was transported to Tempe City Jail, the report said.
At the jail, the man told officers his daughter was crying loudly because he did not allow her to play with friends at the 2000 block of East University Drive, police reported.
The girl twisted away from her father in order to follow her mother to that address, police said.
The man told police that he then picked his daughter up and covered her mouth and accidentally pressed too hard against her mouth, the report said.
He denied laying his daughter down to hit her or give her a bloody nose, police said.
The man was later transported to the Maricopa County 4th Avenue Jail in Phoenix, where he was booked and held to see a judge, according to the report.
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An 18-year-old Tempe man was arrested April 18 on the 1000 block of West Elliot Road on suspicion of aggravated assault, shoplifting and dangerous drug possession, according to a police report.
A Wal-Mart loss prevention officer caught the man removing items from the store without purchasing them, police said.
The man tried to punch the officer, but was unsuccessful in doing so, the report said.
After the attempt, he then extended the blade of a folding knife and tried to cut the officer’s face, police reported.
Another loss prevention officer came and tried to assist in detaining him, police said.
The man struggled and cut the first officer’s thumb and the underside of his right bicep with his knife, the report said.
The man was booked into Tempe City Jail and was held to see a judge, according to the report.
Reports compiled by Chelsey Ballarte
Reach the reporter at Chelsey.ballarte@asu.edu or follow her on Twitter @chelseyballarte
