Video: Arkansas man stabs his daughter during custody exchange

Credit: Andrew Burton

Credit: Andrew Burton

Body camera video shows an Arkansas man stab his daughter during a violent custody exchange.

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The video was released by the Jonesboro Police Department. It is posted in full below.

Please be warned the content and language is graphic. Viewer discretion is advised.

The video is from an incident on April 29. Police were called to a home to do a "civil standby" in a child custody exchange.

A police officer enters the home with a woman. Shortly after the child walks to her mother near a back bedroom, a man pulls a knife and slashes toward them. The man, who is identified as the child's father in the police report, is immediately taken into custody.

The entire incident is captured on the officer’s body camera.

A second officer, who is also equipped with a body camera, rushes in after the assault. After the suspect is handcuffed, he goes to take care of the victims.

Both the child and her mother were wounded, according to the police report. In the video, she is being held by another relative once the officer rushes to her aid. He takes her outside and quickly treats the injury, which was causing blood to pour out of her arm.

She is expected to make a full recovery.

According to the Police Department, the officer credited with helping the victims received training from the Stop the Bleeding Foundation via a grant from Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield.

Theodis Coleman, 37, was identified as the suspect in the case. Police said he is charged with four felony offenses, including domestic battering - first degree, domestic battering - second degree, endangering the welfare of a minor, terroristic threatening.

According to the police report, the child's mother said Coleman made threats earlier in the day to "kill her and her family if she tried to get the child back."

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