Crime & Safety
Police: Gulfport Man Forced Child to 'Bear Crawl' on Hot Pavement
The man told police he was punishing his son for losing his shoes.
Several city employees say they saw a Gulfport man forcing his son to "bear crawl" on the hot pavement in front of city hall on Wednesday afternoon, police say.
According to Gulfport Police Chief Robert Vincent, Irving Maurice Millard, 32, of Gulfport, was spotted pulled his 5-year-old son by the backpack while being forced to walk on his bare hands and feet around 3 p.m. yesterday.
Vincent says Millard claimed he had the right to punish his child for losing his shoes.
The boy's hands were red and swollen, according to police. He was treated on scene by medical personnel and turned over to his mother.
Millard was arrested on the charge of child abuse, a felony, and is being held in the Pinellas County Jail on $10,000 bail.
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