An Augusta man has been arrested and charged with first-degree child cruelty after deputies say he severely beat a 5-year-old boy with a belt, leaving visible injuries across much of the child’s body.
Nabeel Ibin Muhammah, 26, of Castellon Way, was taken into custody Sunday morning following a domestic violence call to the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office. According to the incident report, deputies responded to the residence around 7:23 a.m., where they met with the child’s mother, Amber Culver.
Culver told deputies she had just returned home from work when she discovered her son had been physically assaulted. The boy had visible bruising and belt marks on his face, back, chest, legs, and both arms. Deputies took photographs of the injuries as evidence.
Another resident told officers that the child was unharmed when she left the home at 7 a.m. and that she had instructed Muhammah to stay away from the boy.
Muhammah admitted to deputies that he struck the child with a small belt, claiming he was upset because the boy was bothering his 2-year-old son. He said he attempted to discipline the child, but the boy kept moving, causing the belt to strike him multiple times across his body.
After reviewing the case, Sgt. Randall Amos approved a warrant for Muhammah’s arrest. He was charged with cruelty to children in the first degree and transported to the Charles B. Webster Detention Center.
This is not Muhammah’s first encounter with law enforcement involving alleged family violence. In February 2022, he was accused of injuring his girlfriend during a dispute over hotel money. Charges in that incident were later dropped.
