Police in Florida arrested a man who was caught on video pinning an 11-year-old girl to the ground while she begged for her life after he became convinced she was responsible for a week-long egging attack on his house.
Marius Mutu, 43, is facing charges of battery and false imprisonment of the young girl.
Mutu chased the child, who screamed for help repeatedly. He roughly pushed her to the ground as she wailed.
“Please, I was not doing anything. I swear on my life. “Help me,” she cried, terrified.
It is unclear what Mutu said in response, but she flailed wildly as she tried to get away from the much-larger man.
Mutu attempted to grab her arms and force them to her sides, as seen in a video taken by neighbours from a nearby balcony.
After hearing the girl in distress, other residents in the apartment complex called authorities to report the assault.
Deputies from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the scene around noon Saturday. By this point, a bystander had intervened and attempted to force Mutu off of the girl.
Mutu attempted to make his case by telling authorities that he assumed the girl had egged his house when he saw her nearby. According to the sheriff’s office, he claimed to be trying to take a photo of her in order to report her to the apartment complex’s management team.
Mutu’s actions appalled both neighbours and authorities.
“The long-term trauma, and the parents and anyone else who witnessed it, as if there are children running up and down these streets every night. I just think, ‘What if it was my kid or our kid?’ “It could be anybody,” resident Hannah Noel told Count On News 2.
“This child endured a terrifying and traumatic experience at the hands of someone who chose to take matters into his own hands,” said Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister.
“We remain committed to protecting our children and ensuring those who harm them are held fully accountable.”