An anonymous tip led to the arrest of a Sunny Isles Beach man who was caught on camera physically abusing his 2-year-old daughter, according to police.
In the call, investigators were told to review the surveillance from the La Perla condominium at 16699 Collins Avenue.
“Basically, a 2-and-a-half-year-old child was manhandled, for lack of a better word, by her father. Her hair was pulled, her arm was yanked on, she was kicked, dropped, just things that you don’t expect to see happen to a child, especially at the hands of someone that they trust most in the world, their father,” Sunny Isles Beach police Sgt. Brian Schnell said.
According to police, the footage showed Andrei Sevastianov, 37, and his daughter in the pool area of the building. At one point, they said, Sevastianov took a towel, wrapped it around his daughter’s neck, and appeared to have tightened it. The girl is seen flailing her arms as he continues squeezing it, the arrest report stated.
Police said he then let her go, faced her toward him, grabbed her by the hair and slammed her head into his shoulder.
“The defendant then begins to walk inside of the lobby, carrying the victim. As he was walking in the door, he drops the victim from chest height, and knees her on the way down as she hits the floor. The defendant then kicks her on the right side of her head,” according to the arrest report.
Police say video shows disturbing abuse of child
Sevastianov then allegedly yanked her up from the floor by her hair as he walked to the elevator. Once there, police said the video shows the girl collapsing onto the ground.
“The defendant picks up the victim and violently shakes her causing her head to uncontrollably snap back and forth several times,” according to the arrest report.
While waiting for the elevator, Sevastianov then tightly wrapped her body in a towel, her legs kicking, according to police.
“The defendant then backs into the wall slamming her into it, pinning her between the wall and his back. The defendant then whips her around to the front, letting her fall to the floor. The two then leave out of camera view,” according to the arrest report.
Officers made contact with Sevastianov and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue took his daughter to Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital for a medical evaluation.
During questioning, Sevastianov was asked to explain his actions. According to police, he said his daughter was throwing a tantrum, was not listening to him and refusing to obey him.
Police said Sevastianov resisted arrest when officers went to take him into custody. He’s been charged with aggravated child abuse with great bodily harm, child abuse and resisting arrest with violence.
