COFFEE COUNTY, Ga. (WALB) - On Dec. 9, the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) was notified by the Department of Family and Children Services (DFACS) regarding a child abuse incident.

According to the report, DFACS was contacted by Coffee County school officials after a student reported that another student may have been physically abused by a parent. The child was examined, and bruising was found on the upper back, prompting a further investigation.

Investigators determined that approximately 15 days earlier, the child had been hit numerous times with a charging cable.

Officials say that Jose Hernandez Gutierrez, 29, was later taken into custody and transported to the Coffee County Jail. Gutierrez has been charged with cruelty to children in the first degree.

The investigation remains active; no new details will be released at this time.

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