Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Jamya Keondra Souter, 26, was arrested last night for allegedly throwing a 21-month-old child from her lap to the floor.

On August 20, Gainesville Police Department was notified by an anonymous person about a video showing possible child abuse: the video showed a toddler sitting on the lap of an adult, later identified as Souter. Souter was reportedly styling the child’s hair when the child started crying; the video reportedly shows her slapping the child in the head five times, and after a few seconds of crying, Souter throws the child in the air, about three or four feet off the ground, and the child lands on the wooden floor on her back. Another adult picks up the child, and Souter walks out of the room. The video was recorded on August 19, but the incident was not reported to law enforcement before the anonymous reporter came forward.

An officer spoke to a witness who reportedly said Souter had been thrown out of the residence after the incident.

Another witness reportedly said Souter was doing the child’s hair when she became angry with the child because the child was crying. The witness said she did not see Souter hit the child but offered to take the child because Souter was “getting agitated.” She said as she approached Souter, Souter suddenly stood up, threw the child off her lap, and said, “You take her!” The witness said she picked up the child, who was now crying hysterically.

Souter voluntarily went to GPD Headquarters to be interviewed, and post Miranda, she reportedly said she was angry with the child because she would not sit still and was crying; she admitted to hitting the child because she was so angry. She reportedly said that when the witness came to get the child from her, she stood up quickly and tried to push the baby onto the couch, but the child ended up landing on the floor. She said this was not her intention, but she said multiple times that she was just angry that the child would not stop crying.

Souter has been charged with child abuse without great bodily harm. She has no local criminal history, and Judge Jonathan Ramsey ordered her released on her own recognizance.

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.