A 20-year-old Cedartown man, Jacob Eugene Billies, 20, was arrested following a reported domestic dispute on Evergreen Lane that led to charges of simple battery and cruelty to children.
According to law enforcement reports, officers were dispatched to a residence after the stepfather of a woman involved in the incident contacted authorities. The caller reported that his daughter said her boyfriend had struck a child and slapped her during an argument.
Upon arriving at the scene, officers made contact with Billies, 20, and the alleged victim, identified. Authorities reported that the victim was visibly upset and attempting to repair a pair of broken eyeglasses while seated inside the home.
During an interview with officers, the victim stated that she had been preparing breakfast while caring for two children. She said she asked Billies, who had been upstairs resting, to help with the children. According to her statement, she was holding a child identified as S.B. while cooking when the child began crying.
The victim told investigators that Billies allegedly struck the child in the mouth in an attempt to stop the crying. She said she reacted by slapping Billies and telling him that hitting the child would not solve the situation.
According to the report, the victim then alleged that Billies slapped her in the face, knocking off and breaking her eyeglasses. She subsequently contacted her stepfather, who called authorities.
Billies was taken into custody at the scene and transported to the Polk County Jail, where he was booked on charges of simple battery and cruelty to children.
