LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A Las Vegas father is accused of repeatedly beating a child over several years, knocking out some of his teeth, and not enrolling him in school, police said.
Jeremy Kemp faces charges of child abuse and allowing child abuse of endangerment, records showed.
Kemp is accused of regularly beating the child “with a belt, closed fists and a dog leash” for several years from 2019 to 2021, police wrote in court documents.
Police in an out-of-state jurisdiction first reported the alleged abuse to Metro police last summer after the child and an adult went to a hospital. The child had a bruise under his eye and scratches on his arms, police said.
The child did not attend school for two years and was missing teeth, police said. Police said the child told them Kemp had punched out four of his teeth. The child put the teeth under his pillow for the Tooth Fairy afterward, police said.
The child told police “Kemp uses pills and is angry when he uses these pills,” investigators said. The child referred to the pills as “Iron Man pills,” saying Kemp called them “adult candy.”
A family member became concerned when Kemp would not allow her to visit the child, police said. When a person confronted Kemp about the alleged abuse, he said the child had run into a door, police said.
In September 2021, an officer went to Kemp’s address, finding the home vacant and littered with trash, police said. The officers later got in contact with Kemp, and scheduled an interview, but Kemp never showed, police said. Officers also checked with the Clark County School District, finding the child was not enrolled.
A warrant for Kemp’s arrest was issued in February. Officers arrested Kemp on Aug. 1. Details on what led up to his arrest were unavailable as of Tuesday.
A judge set bail at $10,000. Kemp posted bond and was due in court on Aug. 16.