DORAL, FL - A man in his fifties is accused of physically abusing his 11-year-old daughter, allegedly kicking and repeatedly slamming her head into the floor inside their home.
The father, 53-year-old Husain Maki Habib, was arrested and charged with one count of felony child abuse without great bodily harm, according to court records reviewed by Law & Crime. Habib and the girl's mother are divorced and live separately but share custody of their two daughters, ages 11 and 14.
A probable cause affidavit states that the case began when the 11-year-old called her mom from school just after 9:00 a.m. on September 17, explaining that there had been an incident involving her father the previous night.
Shortly after that conversation, the mother contacted the City of Doral Police Department and reported what her daughter had told her. The mother told police that Habib had instructed their daughter to turn off her iPad and get ready for bed. When she did not comply fast enough, Habib allegedly took the tablet and smashed the screen with a hammer.
"The defendant stated that if she did not listen, he would smash her head and throw her off the balcony," the affidavit says. The victim then went to the bedroom she shares with her older sister.
"The defendant entered the bedroom and allegedly pushed the victim to the floor," police wrote. "The victim reported the defendant kicked her multiple times while she was on the floor and pushed her head into the ground." The victim told police that her father primarily kicked her in the lower back and legs and claimed he pushed her head "into the floor" about eight times.
The girl was taken to a nearby emergency department for treatment, where doctors said she suffered minor contusions in the areas where she said she was struck.
Police also interviewed the girl's older sister, who said Habib "became upset" because the younger girl "continued to play on her iPad" after being told to stop and get ready for bed. A verbal argument followed, after which Habib broke the tablet with a hammer, according to the affidavit.
The older sister said that Habib walked the victim to the bedroom and "pushed her toward the bed." Police wrote that the "victim fell to the ground" and that "the defendant then struck the victim with an open hand on her arm and kicked her approximately three times near the lower back or shin area."
Following his arrest, Habib declined to provide a statement without an attorney present and was transported to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center for booking. He was released after posting a $2,500 bond.
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