Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Antwaneria Dowanisha Rolan Legette, 30, was arrested on September 13 and charged with child abuse after allegedly battering a 13-year-old detainee at the Juvenile Detention Center while she was employed there.

According to an incident report filed by the responding Gainesville Police Department officer, on June 15, Legette and another employee said the victim was trying to use a plastic food tray to “cut her wrists,” so they entered her cell to take the food tray. The victim walked away and was confronted by the second employee; Legette reportedly walked in, turned the victim toward her, and started poking her “as if trying to provoke” her. Legette allegedly dragged the victim down a hall by her shirt and her hair in an apparent attempt to put her in her cell; the arresting officer reported that surveillance video showed the victim struggling to get away and showed Legette punching her in the face at one point.

The victim reportedly broke free and walked away; the officer reported that surveillance video showed that she was now “obviously agitated” and started throwing things around the room before trying to use the phone. Legette allegedly threw her to the ground; the victim reportedly sat up and appeared to hit Legette, and Legette allegedly shoved her head-first into a door. Legette allegedly tried to kick the victim, fell to the ground, partially landed on the victim, and punched the victim in the face again.

At that point, another employee entered the room and later reportedly told the officer that “it [was] chaos.” He said he saw Legette on top of the victim, “pulling her hair and punching her.” He said he pulled Legette out of the room and locked the door between her and the victim to “protect the child.” He said he was told that Legette and the other employee “were just trying to get the child secured.”

The victim reportedly tried again to use the phone, and the second employee pulled her back, so the third employee went into the room “protect the child,” and Legette reportedly entered the room again at that point. The third employee reportedly told the officer that just as he gained control of the victim, Legette again tried to “get at” the victim. He said he tried to escort the victim back to a cell, but she struggled, so he let go of her and she started throwing things around the room again.

The victim reportedly opened a bottle of water and threw some water on Legette, who allegedly charged the victim and punched her twice in the face. The third employee said he stepped between Legette and the victim, and as he walked the victim away from Legette, Legette threw her radio at them, narrowly missing them both.

A supervisor arrived at that point; she reportedly told the officer that she had been informed about the incident but had to wait for someone else to arrive before she could leave her area of the facility. The supervisor reportedly said the victim told her that Legette and the second employee punched her in the face and dragged her around by her hair. The supervisor said the victim had swelling and bruising on her face.

After reviewing the surveillance video, both the third employee and the supervisor reportedly said they thought the force used on the victim was “excessive and uncalled-for” and that hair-pulling and punching in the face are not tactics that are taught in the academy for detention officers.

Incident reports were also filed against the juvenile and the second employee. The juvenile was charged with committing battery on a detention facility staff (a felony); the second employee was originally charged with child abuse, but the charge has already been dropped.

An additional incident report alleges that Legette committed property damage (a misdemeanor) by intentionally breaking a candy dispenser in the lobby of the Juvenile Detention Center, but that charge has not been filed. According to the incident report, when Legette was informed that she was no longer employed by the Juvenile Detention Center, she pushed over and broke a candy dispenser worth $500 on her way out of the building.

Legette has no local criminal convictions and was released on $10,000 bail.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.