Cash-only bond in alleged child abuse

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By Ray King

A $10,000 cash-only bond was set Wednesday for a Pine Bluff man who allegedly choked and beat his daughter with a belt July 29.

Pine Bluff District Judge John Kearney set the bond after ruling prosecutors have probable cause to charge Rashaun Chidester, 28, with second-degree domestic battery and with aggravated assault on a family or household member.

Reading from a probable cause affidavit from Detective Ryan Edwards, Deputy Prosecutor Caleb Conrad said the mother of the child went to the police station to report the incident and said when she went to pick up her daughter, who had been visiting with Chidester, her father, she noticed lacerations on both sides of the child’s neck.

The child said her father had spanked her twice, had grabbed her by the neck, and had choked her during the altercation.

Edwards also interviewed the victim and Conrad told the court what the child said.

When Chidester was interviewed, he said he had spanked his daughter with a belt because of a text message she had sent to her mother. He said he hit her six or seven times on the buttocks and said when the child was at his mother’s, he and his mother got into an argument and he grabbed the child by the back of the neck and made her sit down. He denied spanking her a second time and denied choking her.

Conrad said Chidester had a previous conviction for breaking or entering and theft of property in 2011 and has pending charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm, simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms, and drug charges.

Chidester was ordered to have no contact with the child until the case is settled. He said he would hire his own attorney.