A 27-year-old Greenwood man is facing a felony battery charge after Greenfield police say he struck a sleeping 3-year-old girl in the head with his cell phone, then told investigators he did it “because I’m a jacka**.” Jaylen Beamon was arrested during a traffic stop on US 40 after police say bedroom camera footage captured the attack.
Police were called to a residential area in Greenfield on Aug. 27 regarding a 3-year-old struck in the head with a cellular telephone, according to Fox 59. Investigators say bedroom camera footage allegedly showed Beamon entering the sleeping child’s room while holding a blue iPhone 16 Max, raising it above his head, then bringing it down in a forceful motion described by police as a “hammer-type swing.” The phone allegedly impacted the right side of the toddler’s head near her temple.
Traffic Stop Leads to Arrest
Greenfield police identified Beamon as the suspect and later stopped him while he was driving a black Ford Taurus, taking him into custody during the traffic stop on the historic highway that runs as the primary east-west corridor through central Greenfield. He was booked into Hancock County Jail and brought in for questioning, where police say he allegedly admitted to hitting the young girl in the head. When asked why, Beamon allegedly told investigators, “Because I’m a jacka**.”
An investigator said the sound of the impact and the girl’s immediate reaction indicated the strike was significant. Per court documents, the toddler did not require medical assistance but developed a bump on her head after the alleged attack. Beamon was arrested on preliminary battery charges and now faces one count of battery as a Level 5 felony in Hancock County.
Bond Set at $5,000, Court Date Looms
An initial hearing was held Sept. 2 in front of Judge Jon Keyes, who set bond at $5,000 cash. Court dockets show Keyes has frequently presided over local felony proceedings after previously working as a public defender and private counsel in Hancock County, according to Docket Alarm. Beamon paid the bond and was released from the local jail. He is due back in court Oct. 15 for a pretrial conference and bond review hearing.
Level 5 Felony Carries Up to Six Years
Under Indiana Code § 35-42-2-1 and § 35-50-2-6, battery committed by an adult against a child under 14 is classified as a Level 5 felony, carrying a statutory prison sentence of 1 to 6 years, an advisory sentence of 3 years, and a fine of up to $10,000, according to Hessler Law. Indiana criminal law elevates battery charges specifically when the victim is a young child, reflecting the heightened legal exposure Beamon now faces if convicted.
The case adds to a string of violent crime prosecutions handled by Hancock County Prosecuting Attorney Brent Eaton, who has led the office since January 2015 and established a specialized domestic violence and sexual assault prosecution unit, along with support for Zoey’s Place Child Advocacy Center, per Hancock County government records. Eaton announced his candidacy for a fourth term earlier this year. Criminal proceedings in Beamon’s case fall under the Hancock County judicial system, which operates Hancock Circuit Court alongside Hancock Superior Courts 1 and 2 in Greenfield, the county seat located roughly 20 miles east of downtown Indianapolis along US Route 40.
Part of a Pattern in Hancock County
Statewide data underscores how vulnerable young children are in physical abuse cases. Indiana recorded more than 21,000 substantiated child victims of abuse or neglect in 2025, a rate of roughly 13.4 per 1,000 children, according to the Indiana Youth Institute. Separately, Indiana Department of Child Services records show that 68% of child fatality victims from caregiver maltreatment in 2023 were age 3 or younger, a statistic compiled by Prevention of Child Abuse St. Joseph County.
Beamon’s case follows other recent violent crime prosecutions in Greenfield. In Greenfield man sentenced to 20 years, Bailey Matrix was sentenced to 20 years in Hancock County last May after being convicted of Level 6 felony domestic battery and related charges. And in June, Hancock County prosecutors filed 11 criminal counts, including Level 3 felony criminal confinement and Level 6 felony domestic battery, against 27-year-old Greenfield resident Devon Austin Damron following an alleged physical assault, with Hancock Superior Court 1 setting bond at $40,000 cash in that case.
