McDavid Man Charged With Felony Child Abuse

January 21, 2026

A McDavid man was charged in connection with a child abuse investigation that began last summer after a young boy was found with a black eye.

Eugene Quint Geri, 49, is charged with child abuse without great bodily harm. He was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $25,000 bond.

According to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrest report, deputies began investigating on August 28, 2025, when the victim’s father noticed the child had a black eye and two additional marks on his face. The child told investigators that Geri hit him in the eye with his hand while wearing a watch because the boy was misbehaving at school, according to an arrest report.

The investigation was marked by shifting stories from the boy’s mother, according to the report. She initially told deputies she witnessed Geri discipline the child in a bedroom and saw the injury immediately after. She later changed her account, claiming she lied to protect Geri and suggested the child might have hit his head on a bed.

Geri also provided inconsistent statements, initially claiming he only disciplined the child verbally over the phone before later stating he had done so in person. Investigators noted that while the adults provided conflicting accounts, the child was the only person to provide a consistent statement throughout the process.

Following a review by the Special Victims Unit, a warrant was issued for Geri’s arrest. A judge ordered that he have no contact with the alleged victim.

Geri has entered a not guilty pleas in Escambia County Circuit Court.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under TOP STORIES