East St. Louis man accused of getting drunk, hitting woman and baby
A 31-year-old man was arrested following a domestic incident during which police say he got drunk, fought with a woman then struck her 3-month-old baby in the face.
DeAntonio T. Best of the 1600 block of Russell Avenue in East St. Louis was charged Monday with domestic battery/bodily harm to a child.
East St. Louis Police Sgt. Cantrell Patterson said police were dispatched to the house Saturday night, following a call from the 26-year old female victim.
At the scene, the woman told police that Best had been mixing beverages and, after he was very intoxicated, he became combative.
“The victim said after the suspect got very intoxicated, he started hitting her in the face area,” said Patterson, commander of the East St. Louis investigations division. “The victim grabbed her 3-month-old son and tried to leave the residence, but she said the suspect started swinging wildly at her, preventing her from leaving with the child.
“The victim said while she was holding her son, the suspect hit the infant child in the face area.”
At some point the woman was able to leave the residence and call police. When officers arrived, the suspect was attempting to leave.
Best is being held in the St. Clair County Jail. He also was facing felony battery charges in connection with a separate incident in February.
