A 53-year-old Doral, Florida, man has been arrested on a felony child abuse charge after police said a dispute over his 11-year-old daughter’s iPad escalated into an alleged physical assault at his home.
Husain Maki Habib was arrested Sept. 17 and charged with one count of child abuse without great bodily harm. The case began after the girl contacted her mother from school the following morning and reported what had happened at her father’s home the previous night.
According to the arrest affidavit, Habib had told his daughter to stop using her iPad and prepare for bed. Police said he became upset when she did not immediately comply and allegedly took the tablet and struck it with a hammer, breaking the screen.
The girl told investigators that Habib then threatened to smash her head and throw her from the balcony if she did not listen, according to the affidavit.
The situation allegedly continued after the girl went into a bedroom she shares with her 14-year-old sister. Police said Habib followed her into the room, pushed her to the floor and kicked her several times.
The younger girl also told investigators that her father pushed her head against the floor repeatedly. She reported being kicked mainly around her lower back and legs.
Police said the girl was taken to a local hospital for medical evaluation. Medical staff found minor contusions around areas where she reported being struck, including her lower back and near her shin. Authorities said no head injury was identified during the evaluation.
The girl’s older sister also spoke with investigators. She reportedly said Habib became angry because the younger girl continued using the iPad after being told to stop. The sister said she saw Habib break the tablet with a hammer before taking the girl toward the bedroom.
According to the sister’s account, the girl was pushed toward the bed and fell to the floor. She told investigators that Habib then struck the child on the arm with an open hand and kicked her several times near the lower back or shin.
Habib was taken into custody at his home on Sept. 17 and brought to the Doral Police Department for questioning. Investigators said he was advised of his Miranda rights but declined to give a statement without an attorney present.
He was subsequently booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. Jail records showed a $2,500 bond in the case, and later reports said he was released after posting bond.
The criminal charge remains an allegation, and the case will proceed through the court system. No court appearance date was confirmed in the latest reports reviewed for this article.
