Charges Dropped Against Florida Man (UPDATE)

Man Tied Up Daughter So He Could Play Video Games, Cops Say

UPDATE: Charges against the Florida man in the article below were dropped in August 2012.

Previously:

A Florida man is accused of using a rope to tie up a 4-year-old girl so he could play video games.

The young girl told police that she was watching TV on May 17 when Heath Howe tied her up in the kitchen. She said Howe then began to play “bad guy” video games, according to WTSP.

The girl’s mother and a friend found the girl tied up after they returned from a trip to the gym, Fox News reports. The mother’s friend untied the child after the mother allegedly did nothing to help her.

Sarasota police noted that the rope was tight enough to leave marks on both of the girl’s arms. In addition, red spots on her arms indicated that she experienced bleeding under the skin. The girl told investigators that this is not the first time he has left her tied up, the Daily Mail reported.

Howe, 27, was arrested on May 23 and released on $100,000 bail two days later, according to the Gainesville Sun. He is charged with child abuse.

CORRECTION: This article previously misstated that Howe is the girl’s father.

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