A McHenry man was arrested on charges that he strangled a child, punched the boy in the face and squeezed the child’s genitals, causing serious injuries, in McHenry.
Demitrius L. Raymond, 21, of McHenry, was charged with aggravated domestic battery, aggravated battery of a child causing great bodily harm and two counts of enhanced domestic battery.
A criminal complaint filed in McHenry County Circuit Court alleges Raymond inflicted serious injuries on a 9-year-old boy on May 21 in McHenry.
The complaint said Raymond, a household member of the victim, placed his hand or hands around the boy’s neck and applied pressure.
The child’s breathing was impeded and the strangulation occurred during the course of “physical discipline,” resulting in pain, injury and visible marks to the boy’s neck, the complaint said.
The complaint said Raymond also struck the child in the face with a closed fist, causing visible swelling and bruising.
Raymond allegedly grabbed the victim’s genitals, squeezing and twisting them with significant force, causing bruising and a urinary tract infection, the complaint said.
The child also experienced “immediate pain” and difficulty walking and urinating.
The McHenry Police Department investigated the case and arrested Raymond on Monday.
He was transported to the McHenry County Jail and the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain him pending trial.
Raymond has a prior unrelated domestic battery conviction, which he pleaded guilty to just weeks prior to his latest arrest.
McHenry County Judge Cynthia Lamb granted the petition and said Raymond poses a real and present danger to the victim as well as the community at large.
“In this particular case defendant is not only a real and present threat to the alleged victim in this case, but to the community at large,” Lamb said, adding that no conditions of release could mitigate the threat.
Raymond is scheduled to appear in court again on July 9 for a preliminary hearing.