BATON ROUGE - Sheriff's deputies booked a mother into jail following the woman being seen hitting her child with a belt at a disaster shelter.

Keaire Hatton, 21, was charged with cruelty to juveniles following the altercation. The state is also investigating the situation as possible child abuse. In addition to cruelty charges, Hatton was booked into jail on charges related to cursing and spitting at the deputy during her arrest at Celtic Studios Wednesday.

The deputy who arrested Hatton wrote in the arrest report, he heard Hatton's child scream then noticed Hatton pulling the child through the sound stage that is being used as a shelter for flood victims. Hatton had a leather belt over her shoulder, the deputy reported. Later, according to the report associated with Hatton's booking information, the deputy and out-of-town shelter workers heard the child scream and witnessed Hatton hitting the child with the belt.

Witnesses said Hatton asked the child, "You want me to give you something to cry about?"

The deputy noted that when Hatton was placed under arrest, she fought, spit and even attempted to push herself out of of the sheriff's unit.

The child had a small welt and abrasion on their calf, according to the arrest report.

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