ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A man was arrested in St. Petersburg on Tuesday night after police say he used a lighter to burn smiley faces on three children he was caring for.
Joshua Mize, 21, faces three counts of aggravated child abuse with great bodily harm.
The children, ages 5, 8, and 10, told police that Mize would hold them down and burn them with a lighter to create "smileys," the arrest affidavit reads. The children all had burns consistent with what they told authorities. The "smileys" consisted of three burns, two dots and one in the shape of a "U," police say.
Police say that Mize was caring for the children when the crimes occurred.
Mize remains in the Pinellas County Jail under a $450,000 bond.
