A man identified on social media as Clarence Ward was arrested after video surfaced that appears to show a young child being violently assaulted, according to a detailed Facebook post. The post states that Ward was taken into custody on Thursday and, citing jail records, says he faces charges including strangulation and contempt of court. People who reviewed the footage for the page described a sequence in which the child was grabbed by the neck, slammed into furniture, punched and thrown to the floor, and said the video was provided by the child's family.
Family’s Video Shared On Local Page Sparks Fast Arrest
In a post yesterday, The Cleveland,Ohio Remembrance Page said the child's family supplied the footage. According to the post, people who watched the video for the page reported that a man checked the child's clothing, grabbed her by the neck, lifted her into the air, then slammed her head onto the arm of a couch before punching and throwing her to the floor. The post also says the child was strangled for several seconds.
The Cleveland, Ohio Remembrance Page is described as a long‑running local feed with a registered trademark, according to Justia, and Hoodline has previously relied on early posts from the feed for breaking details. That track record helps explain how local social pages can push graphic allegations into public view well before any formal press release lands.
Arrest And Charges
The social post states that Ward was taken into custody on Thursday and that jail records list charges including strangulation and contempt of court. The outlet that shared the post did not publish the underlying booking record, and we were not able to independently pull a matching entry online. Cuyahoga County does not maintain a single, comprehensive public inmate roster, which means quick public verification often depends on piecing together court and jail records from multiple places, as reflected in guidance on Ohio State Records.
Legal Implications
If prosecutors move forward with a strangulation count in Ohio, that charge is governed by Ohio Revised Code section 2903.18, which treats strangulation as a felony and grades it by the nature and severity of the conduct involved. Contempt of court proceedings are handled under Chapter 2705 of the Ohio Revised Code, with potential fines or jail time after a hearing. The exact penalties depend on whether the contempt is treated as civil or criminal and on a judge's specific findings.
What Happens Next
The Facebook post says the children were removed from the home and are now safe. In cases like this, prosecutors typically review video, social media posts and any official reports before deciding on formal charges, arraignments and hearings. As this case shows, social media can broadcast alleged abuse in near real time, while the official system moves through its more methodical steps.
Verification Note
This article is based on the video and account published by The Cleveland, Ohio Remembrance Page and on the public statutes cited above. We confirmed the Remembrance Page's registered identity through trademark records on Justia and reviewed county inmate search guidance via Ohio State Records to explain why a direct online booking lookup was not available at publication. Official statements from law enforcement or prosecutors, as well as court filings, will provide formal confirmation and are being sought for updates as they become publicly available.
