Palm Coast Man Charged With Abuse Allegedly Threatened To Feed Child To Gator

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Handcuffs crime man arrest

Palm Coast, FL- A 28-year-old Palm Coast man is charged with child abuse after FCSO found out that he allegedly beat an 8-year-old boy with a belt. The report states that the boy told deputies that Dereck Dunn asked him to go out to the pond behind their home and then told him he would feed him to the alligators. The report continues that when they went back in the house, Dunn, who is listed at 5-foot-9 and 300 pounds, grabbed the boy and pushed his face into the carpet so hard he couldn't breathe. The boy said that Dunn hit him with a belt several times. A Child Protection Team was at the home on Tuesday and contacted FCSO about the case. Deputies responded and according to the report, the boy showed them the belt that Dunn hit him with. The belt appeared to be consistent with the marks on the boy. Dunn was not home at the time of the deputies visit. Deputies returned on Wednesday to interview Dunn. He said that he was only joking about feeding the boy to the alligators but the child takes him seriously. He said he hit the boy in the face by accident when he turned to quickly and denied hitting him with the belt. Based on the investigation, Dunn was arrested and charged with one count of felony child abuse. He posted a bond of $7,500.

Dereck Dunn

Dereck Dunn

(Photo  courtesy of Flagler County Jail)