Prosecutors say a father admitted he likes biting his child after they say he held down and bit the young girl for three minutes in Highwood, which they called “disturbing” conduct.
Nahum Armenta, 29, of Highwood, was charged with two counts of domestic battery, a Class A misdemeanor.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Michael Theis said the Highwood Police Department was called on November 17 to the 300 block of Washington Avenue for a report of a domestic battery.
Officers spoke with the child victim, who said that Armenta had picked her up and given her dinner.
The child, who is under 10, felt tired and laid down in Armenta’s bed and he came into the room, Theis said.
Theis said Armenta held the child down by her arms and started biting the victim on her face, neck and left wrist.
The girl, who is the daughter of Armenta, told him to stop but he continued doing it for at least three minutes, Theis said.
Officers saw a “hickey” type bruising on the child’s neck.
Officers also spoke to the victim’s mother, who reported she received a photo of her daughter’s neck and she called Armenta and told him to drop off the child with her, Theis said.
The woman called the police to ask for them to be at the exchange and officers arrested Armenta.
Armenta told police that he liked biting the girl, which prosecutors said was “disturbing conduct.”
Theis said that Armenta does not have a significant criminal history but his actions of holding the child down on the bed while he bit her all over the face and neck is “significant psychological, emotional, as well as physical harm to the victim.”
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain Armenta pending trial, arguing there are no conditions of release that can ensure the safety of the victim.
Lake County Judge Michael Nerheim denied the petition during a detention hearing and placed Armenta on Level 3 pre-trial services monitoring.
Armenta was ordered to have no contact with the victim, not possess weapons, not consume alcohol or drugs and comply with DCFS.
He is scheduled to appear in court again on January 21 for a pre-trial hearing.