Woman hits another’s child in the face, fights with parents at Roland apartment complex

A Roland woman has been charged with felony child abuse after she allegedly struck a small child twice in the face for reportedly being disrespectful, and calling her an “idiot.”

Alexis E. Clark, 34, was formally charged on May 24 in Sequoyah County District Court and received a $10,000 bond. She is scheduled to appear for a 9 a.m. June 21 felony disposition docket before Associate District Judge Kyle Waters.

Roland Police officer Brandon Luper reported he and Officer Alex Cabrera were sent to Gardenwalk Apartments in May, after Clark contacted them regarding a “disrespectful” child at the apartments.

Clark said she had “taken discipline into her own hands” and “whooped” the child, who is reportedly under the age of 6. She also complained the child’s parents had allegedly assaulted her. The officers arrived and were met by the child’s parents, who were reportedly frantic. According to the probable cause affidavit, the child’s mother admitted to assaulting and battering Clark after she’d brought the child to their door, and told them she’d “got him.”

The child’s parents said it took them a minute to realize what Clark meant, and noticed a red mark on the child’s face, alleging that Clark had hit the child.

The child’s parents said when they confronted Clark about the incident, she reportedly pushed the child’s father. The mother said she began hitting Clark because she was angry at her for hitting her child, and had reportedly injured her right hand and wrist when she did so.

The father showed authorities photos on his cellphone that he’d taken of the child’s face following the incident, which showed a red mark on the left cheek. The officer reported seeing a second red mark on the top of the child’s left shoulder/collarbone area.

The couple’s older child said he was with the child when Clark allegedly slapped the younger child. The older child said the incident occurred at a playground area between their apartment and Clark’s. He said the younger child was “acting up some” and squirting a water gun, according to the affidavit.

The older child said Clark warned the younger child first, then she bent down and reportedly slapped the child’s face twice.

Clark had a red and swollen eye, and told police the child called her an “idiot.” She first denied hitting the child and said she’d only taken the child home, and that’s when she was allegedly attacked. She then admitted what witnesses said was “a little true,” but did not appear remorseful, according to the affidavit.

Clark was arrested and transported to the Roland Police Department. There, she told police she didn’t want to speak to them without an attorney present, but continued talking about the incident. She was then transported to the Sequoyah County Detention Center and booked in on her charge.

Luper reported he later checked on the child and saw a slightly blue area on the left side of the child’s face, between the eye socket and cheek. He said there was also light blue areas around both of the child’s eye sockets. The child was taken to the emergency room following the incident, according to the affidavit.

District Attorney Jack Thorp said the crime is punishable by imprisonment in the custody of the Department of Corrections not exceeding life, or in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by a fine of not less than $500 nor more than $5,000, or both fine and imprisonment.