State trooper charged after allegedly biting two-year-old in the face
Jesse Phillip Brassell resigned from South Carolina Highway Patrol last week
The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday
Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US
Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US
A former South Carolina state trooper is facing charges after he allegedly bit a toddler in the face.
Jesse Phillip Brassell, 23, has been charged with cruelty to children by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.
The trooper allegedly intentionally bit a two-year-old on his face, leaving a bite mark on the right cheek, according to an arrest warrant.
The incident happened in Cottegeville on 20 September, court documents state. The motive is not clear.
The Department of Public Safety suspended Mr Brassell without pay on 22 September, two days after the incident, WCSC reported.
He worked for the South Carolina Highway Patrol for around two years, most recently holding the rank of Trooper First Class while assigned to Troop 6, Post B, which covers Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, and Jasper counties.
He officially resigned from the agency on 15 December and has been booked into the Colleton County Detention Center.
The case is being investigated by the Public Integrity Unit of the 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office.