[PHOTO CREDIT: Lake County Sheriff’s Office]
[Original Publish Date: 11/18/20]
TAVARES, Florida — A Tavares woman who stands accused of spitting in a child’s face and pinching his leg hard enough to leave a bruise, was arrested for child abuse just after midnight Wednesday.
Around 10 p.m. Tuesday, Jessica James, 42, was attempting to discipline a child when she cornered him, spit in his face and pinched the inside of his left leg, leaving a bruise and pinch mark, the boy’s guardian told a Lake County Sheriff’s deputy. Two witnesses also saw James accost the child.
James, who had only been around the boy, whose age is not listed, for a little over a week, according to the arrest affidavit, is not related to the him and did not have the authority to discipline him, his guardian told LCSO. James was asked to leave and stayed around the property for about an hour waiting on a ride.
James was taken into custody and transported to the Lake County Jail where she was released on $2,500 bond.
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Our Editor-in-Chief, Marilyn M. Aciego, began writing for Lake Legal News in 2010. Born and raised in Lake County, she is a graduate of Umatilla High School and Lake-Sumter State College. She started her journalism career at LSSC, where she was editor of both student publications, The Angler and The Odyssey. Her professional career began at the Daily Commercial in 2004 where she covered cops and courts the majority of her time there until she left in 2009. Currently, along with being Editor-in-Chief of Lake Legal News, she is the Florida bureau chief for an international media organization. She has made more than two dozen appearances on live national television, including Nancy Grace and the Greta Van Susteren show, along with her appearance on Evil Twins. Contact her with breaking news, tips, and feedback by sending an e-mail to 352Tips@gmail.com. You can also contact us on our Facebook page — and make sure you “Like” and “Follow us” there. [PHOTO CREDIT: Bonnie Whicher]
