“I Did It” Meridian Healthcare Mental Health Technician Arrested for Attacking Child on Camera
Kechedryi Linchanueshawnt Smith, 32, was arrested on October 29 and charged with aggravated child abuse.
Smith was overseeing the care of a patient under ten years old while working as a mental health technician at Meridian Healthcare.
Surveillance footage showed the victim approaching Smith while she was sitting. As the victim came closer, Smith raised her leg and pushed him on his chest with her foot. The victim spit on Smith and she got up.
The victim fled and dived into a corner of the room that was partially obscured from the camera. Alachua County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) Deputy Justin Dillon reported that Smith can be seen “kneeling on top of [the victim] before moving both her hands out of the view of the camera and towards the area of his neck.”
Two witnesses entered the room and saw Smith standing over the victim. Smith reportedly stated, “I did it” and “do whatever you need to do.” Both of the witnesses wrote sworn statements.
Smith denied the choking but admitted to shoving the victim and said she wanted to “scare” him. Smith said she was “stressed” and “lost control.”
Dillon reported that Smith’s actions were “malicious in nature” and “intentional without legal justification or basis in accepted best practices [for] restraining patients in such a setting.”
The State Attorney’s Office filed a pretrial detention motion on Smith, but it was denied by Judge William Davis. Davis released Smith under weekly Court Services contact supervision.
