PONTIAC, Mich. – The Oakland County Sheriff’s office has arrested a Flint man for child abuse after a TikTok was sent to the department depicting the man dragging the child by the arm and aggressively striking the child in the face.
The sheriff’s office was alerted on Friday, Oct. 14, 2022, of an incident of child abuse that was being shared on the social media platform TikTok.
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A concerned citizen sent the video to officials via email.
Investigators determined the incident took place near the 1200 block of Perry Street in Pontiac.
The video depicts a man verbally disciplining a child under the age of five for kicking the dirt while standing in line for a food truck. According to officials, the man is then seen dragging the child by the arm through the parking lot, the suspect then aggressively strikes the child in the face.
Police were able to use social media and security footage to identify the suspect as John Wesley Hanley III.
The 25-year-old was taken into custody on Friday.
A welfare check was conducted to determine the well-being of the child involved.
Hanley has been charged with one count of fourth-degree child abuse. He was arraigned Saturday in the 50th District Court and a personal bond was set at $20,000.
Oakland County Sheriff Micheal Bouchard said: