Child makes ‘frantic’ call to 911, saves mom from violent attack, Putnam County deputies say

PALATKA, Putnam County — A child is being hailed as a hero for his call to police after his mother was violently attacked at their home over the weekend.

According to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, just after 1:00 a.m. Saturday, emergency dispatchers received a frantic call from the child who said a man, Clarence Scranton, was attacking his mother. The child said that his mother had run inside the home screaming for him to call the police.

The young victim, who was hiding under a bed during the call, told dispatchers he feared for his life and said he could hear the front door being kicked, and his mother crying and being dragged out of the house. He also told police he could hear Scranton threatening to kill his mother. When the suspect heard the child on the phone, he ordered him to hang up or he would kill him, according to a police report.

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Investigators say, Scranton, 60, and the child’s mother had been out together at a bar earlier that night and that he became aggressive during the drive back to the victim’s house.

The suspect reportedly refused to let the woman out of the car and ripped her phone from her hands when she tried to call 911.

Eventually, deputies say the woman was able to convince Scranton to stop at her home to check on her son who had been left alone.

PCSO said Monday that deputies quickly responded to the home largely because of the quick action taken by the child.

Clarence is charged with false imprisonment, burglary with battery, two counts of aggravated assault, two counts of deprivation of 911, resisting without violence, possession of a controlled substance, attempting to conceal evidence and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon. He was not eligible for bond.

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.

For a list of resource options for victim’s of domestic violence and abuse in Putnam County click here.

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