Hawthorne Man Arrested for Child Cruelty and Threatening Violence

Alachua County Sheriff's Office deputies arrested Mitchell Aaron Martineau, 41, last week and charged him with child cruelty and simple assault. 

According to the arrest report obtained by GnvInfo, the adult victim told police Martineau was punching holes in walls and breaking things around their house. Martineau reportedly got in the adult victim’s face and threatened to kill her. 

The adult victim asked Martineau to leave, which he did. However, Martineau reportedly continued to be aggressive at the door, beating on it. The minor victim then stepped outside and asked Martineau to leave again. Martineau approached the teenager in an aggressive manner and threw him onto a dresser on the front porch.

The minor victim reported that he was able to take Martineau to the ground before being pushed off. Martineau then picked up the minor victim and held him against the wall. Martineau eventually left the scene in his car.

After the incident, Martineau texted the adult victim boasting about beating the minor victim.

The minor victim had visible scrapes on his body.

During questioning, Martineau claimed that the minor victim had touched him first, prompting him to throw the teenager to the ground. Martineau then said that he had only "tripped" the minor victim to calm him down. He denied being under the influence of any substances during the incident.

When asked about the text messages, Martineau said he had sent them out of anger.

Judge William Davis ordered Martineau to be released on his own recognizance, with conditions that he wear an ankle monitor and have no contact with the victims.