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Police suspend trainee accused of threatening child with knife

The Gainesville Police Department said Wednesday it suspended a trainee accused in court of holding a knife to the neck of a 10-year-old child.

Larry Reshawn Prunty III, 28, of Gainesville pleaded not guilty to an initial complaint of felony child abuse. He was arrested Tuesday. The name of the child and the child’s relationship to Prunty were not disclosed in court records.

Prunty could not be reached for comment. A phone number listed for Prunty on his arrest record appeared to have been disconnected. 

The child told police that Prunty put a knife to her neck and back several times. In one incident over the summer, Prunty held the knife to her back where she felt it pinch her skin and warned her, “Don’t move, don’t move,” police said. When she objected, police said, Prunty told her she was being a “cry baby.”

A witness, who was also not identified in court records, confirmed the incident, police said. Prunty told police the episode never happened.

Police said Wednesday that Prunty had been placed on administrative suspension.

Prunty asked the judge through his lawyer Yolanda Means to reduce his bond Wednesday from $25,000 or release him on his own recognizance. It was not immediately clear whether that happened. The jail did not list Prunty as an inmate Wednesday evening, but court records did not show that he was released yet.

Means did not immediately return a phone message.

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This is a breaking news story. Check back for further developments. Contact WUFT News by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news@wuft.org

Vivienne is a reporter for WUFT News who can be reached by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news@wuft.org.