Martial arts camp owner charged with child abuse
The owner of a Davie martial arts school slammed a boy to the ground and violently shook him after the child became upset over losing a game, police say.
Police say Richard Rhoads Hartman, 65, lost control when the 8-year-old boy punched a wall in frustration on Jan. 3. The incident happened at Dynamic Family Martial Arts at 12930 State Road 84. No one at the facility could be reached for comment Thursday.
Hartman aggressively grabbed the child by the neck, causing him to keel over in pain, and slammed him to the floor before dragging him to his office, an arrest report said.
There, he threw the child down into an office chair by the neck, authorities say.
As the boy cried, Hartman held him by the arms and violently shook him while yelling at the child to stop crying. He then slammed him to the floor again before allowing the boy to join his classmates, the report said.
Police said a fellow student captured a portion of the incident on a cellphone video. The children were attending a winter camp while they were out of school on break.
The boy suffered extensive bruising to a knee and forearm, police said.
Hartman is charged with child abuse without great bodily harm.
Investigators urge parents whose children have attended the school or any of its events to contact 954-693-8200 if their child has had a similar incident.