A Mitchell man is awaiting trial for allegedly beating a woman and throwing his infant child on the ground.
Levi Sapp, 26, of Mitchell, was arrested on March 30 after a woman said he had assaulted her and was going to hurt their 7-week-old daughter.
The woman told police that earlier that evening, she told Sapp not to come back to their house, but he did, and he threw her phone in the sink and the toilet when she first attempted to call 911.
Sapp then allegedly hit the woman in the head with an ashtray and a hair straightener and pushed her into the bathtub, pushing her again each time she tried to get up. The woman said Sapp then hit her head against the wall several times, held her down by her neck and hit her in the head and then told her he was going to kill her.
The woman said Sapp threw the baby on the ground and that when she was able to pick her up, he continued pushing her down and hitting her in the head. The woman was eventually able to put the baby in a car seat, run outside alone and get help from a person driving by. By the time police arrived, Sapp was no longer in the house.
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Sapp was originally charged with false imprisonment, but on April 20, he was recharged by indictment with kidnapping. It's not clear in court documents specifically what the reason was for changing the charge.
Sapp is charged with first-degree kidnapping, a Class C felony punishable by life in prison and a fine of $50,000; abuse/cruelty to a minor less than seven years of age and two counts of aggravated domestic assault with indifference to human life, both of which are Class 3 felonies punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a fine of $30,000; and simple assault and interference with emergency communications, which are both Class 1 misdemeanors punishable by up to one year in prison and a fine of up to $2,000. He pleaded not guilty to all charges on May 8, and his jury trial is scheduled for Sept. 5-7.
