The man admitted beating the girl with a belt, Pasco deputies say. The woman admitted punching her in the right eye.

SPRING HILL – A man and woman were accused of child abuse after another adult reported seeing him grab a girl by the hair and throw her into his vehicle, the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office said.

Christopher Joseph White, 45, of Spring Hill, was charged with one count of Aggravated Child Abuse. Angela Mary O’Brien, 41, also of Spring Hill, was charged with one count of Child Abuse.

Deputies said they were called about 7:19 a.m. Thursday (Nov. 7) to an address in Spring Hill by a woman who said she had been driving when she saw an adult man, later identified as White, grab a girl by her hair and throw her into his vehicle, causing the 14 year old to hit her head on the dashboard.

The woman followed White to the Spring Hill address where the teen ran to her for help. The witness was able to drive the girl elsewhere and call deputies for help.

The teen told deputies that White has used a leather belt to hit her more than 15 times on her arms, legs, back, and buttocks. Deputies said the girl had about 25 belt pattern marks across her middle torso and arms. The girl’s arms were beginning to swell.

The girl’s right eye was also swollen and red. She told deputies that O’Brien had hit her in the eye with a closed fist after a verbal argument.

Deputies said that White told them his actions were excessive and that he had “lost his cool.” When shown a picture of the girl’s injuries, he said, “Oh, s—” and admitted causing the injuries with a belt.

O’Brien admitted to slapping the girl in the face and causing the injuries. Deputies said she, too, admitted her actions were excessive.

Photo shows Christopher Joseph White, left, and Angela Mary O’Brien.

Pasco Sheriff | Crime | Child Abuse | Arrests | Tampabay News | News Tampa

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