Man arrested after allegedly publicly whipping teen, 15, in Burbank

A 20-year-old Sacramento man was arrested Thursday on suspicion of child abuse after allegedly whipping his girlfriend’s 15-year-old son with a belt in front of the Kawasaki dealer in Burbank, police said.

At 2:20 p.m., police responded to Hollywood Way and Burbank Boulevard, where witnesses reported two males – later identified as the 15-year-old and the suspect, Davariay Hawthorne – were fighting, and later, leaving the scene in a silver van, said Burbank Police Sgt. Darin Ryburn.

Shortly after, police stopped the van at Hollywood Way and Magnolia Boulevard, where the 15-year-old boy was crying in the car. His 35-year-old mother and Hawthorne were also in the car, Ryburn said.

Hawthorne was arrested on suspicion of child abuse after the boy told officers he was struck 10 times on his legs and chest with the belt, Ryburn said.

Additionally, Hawthorne was booked on a no-bail probation violation warrant for a prior incident.

-- Alene Tchekmedyian, Times Community News

Follow Alene Tchekmedyian on Google+ and on Twitter: @atchek.