Girl, 5, Bruised in Alleged Beating, Dad Accused of Child Abuse and Torture

A Highland man was behind bars Wednesday on suspicion of child abuse and torture, accused of beating his 5-year-old daughter, according to the Sheriff's Department.

The girl's mother brought her to the sheriff's Highland Station on March 18 with "significant bruising on the child's back," deputies said in a statement. "The child had just returned from a weekend visit with her biological father in Highland."

The girl told detectives she had been beaten by her father for misbehaving. Deputies identified the man as Antwone Lamont Rattler, 26.

She told detectives Rattler subjected her to "cruel and unusual physical extremes" on an almost daily basis.

"She described how she was bound and gagged, and forced into physically exhausting positions for extended periods of time," deputies said.

The girl's 9-year-old brother, who lives in the same home, told detectives he was subjected to similar beatings and punishments as his younger sister, deputies said.

Rattler was on felony probation for a previous conviction of abuse related to the 9-year-old boy. He was arrested at 7:30 p.m. Monday and booked on suspicion of Child abuse and torture at West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga. His bail was listed Wednesday at $500,000.

Anyone with more information was urged to call the sheriff's Highland Station at (909) 387-8313.

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