Dad arrested for battering 12- and 15-year-old daughters (Oak Hill, Florida)

Dad is identified as JEFFREY CLEAVES. No mention of a mother in the home. Was there one? Or is Cleaves a single (custodial) dad?

http://headlinesurfer.com/content/412880-vcso-oak-hill-father-arrested-child-abuse-battery-charges

VCSO: Oak Hill father arrested on child abuse & battery charges

Posted Fri, 2013-11-08 11:16

By HENRY FREDERICK BREAKING CRIME NEWS / Headline Surfer® is the award-winning 24/7 internet newspaper serving Greater Daytona Beach-Orlando via HeadlineSurfer.com

OAK HILL -- An Oak Hill man was arrested Thursday for child abuse and battery after hitting two of his children during an argument because he believed his teenage girls, 15 and 12, were talking back to him.

The children told responding deputies that before the fight, 53-year-old Jeffrey Cleaves had driven drunk with the teen and a 4-year-old in his vehicle. Volusia County Sheriff's deputies arrested Cleaves for child abuse and battery.

"The 12-year-old told deputies that she was trying to explain to (her father Jeffrey) Cleaves that she was having trouble in school when he got angry with her," Sheriff's spokesman Brandon Haught told Headline Surfer® this morning.

"He thought she was talking back to him, so he slapped her on the back of the head. The teen then walked into the room to find out what was going on and Cleaves turned on her. He pulled her hair, smacked her and then they both fell to the floor still fighting. That's when the 12-year-old called for help."

Deputies arrived at the Barberry Drive home at about 6:30 p.m. and could hear from outside Cleaves yelling and cursing inside the house, the sheriff's spokesman said, adding the girls told deputies what had happened in the house.

The teen then said that she and a 4-year-old were with Cleaves in his vehicle earlier when they stopped at a bar. The girl said that Cleaves had at least three alcoholic drinks.

When they left, the girl said that Cleaves was speeding and swerving and just laughed when the girl asked him to slow down.

After Cleaves was arrested, he told deputies that he could discipline the children any way he wanted to as long as he does not leave bruises, Haught said.

Cleaves was transported to the Volusia County Branch Jail in Daytona Beach where he was being held without bond pending first apperance later today.