A 21-year-old Athens father is charged with child abuse for allegedly slapping his 7-month-old child, leaving a bruise on her face.

Limestone County Sheriff’s Deputy John McCormick responded to a report Thursday night from the mother who said she had returned home from work to find her baby had bruising and a hand print on her face, Chief Investigator Stanley McNatt said Friday.

McCormick confirmed the alleged abuse when he arrived and brought the father, Joshua Aaron Chavez-Roberts of 14083 Deb Drive, to the Sheriff’s Department for questioning, McNatt said.

The child was taken to Athens-Limestone Hospital for treatment.

Under questioning by Investigator Jonathan Hinton, Chavez-Roberts admitted he was home tending the baby and had slapping the infant with an open hand and laid her in the bed after she cried most of the day, McNatt said.

Although bail was set at $25,000 on the felony charge, Chavez-Roberts remained in the Limestone County Jail because he has a probation revocation hearing pending. 

The Department of Human Resources was called to investigate the abuse.