Sheriff: UGA professor beat special needs son

UPDATE: In August 2019, the District Attorney’s office decided not to prosecute the case against Robert Pratt, after the defendant successfully completed a pretrial diversion program, according to records from Oconee County Superior Court.

ORIGINAL STORY

A father and University of Georgia professor was arrested after the Oconee County Sheriff said the man repeatedly slapped and punched his son with autism. 

UGA History professor Robert Antonio Pratt, 59, was charged with family violence simple battery and exploiting/inflicting pain on a disabled person, according to a warrant from Oconee County.

A video released by Sheriff Scott Berry shows the 20-year-old son inside a room at Oconee County High School, where the young man is a student. Investigators told FOX 5, the young man had a behavioral episode and was confined to a room while supervised, with a school camera capturing the events that followed. When the young man's father came to the room. Deputies said the son was compliant and sitting on the floor when the father confronted him.

Deputies said in the warrant Pratt "did knowingly and willfully inflict physical pain upon a disabled adult by repeatedly slapping and punching the victim."

The video clip shows more than 20 strikes.

Sheriff Berry said after deputies obtained the video and warrants for Pratt, they went to the UGA campus and with help from UGA Police, took Pratt into custody.

Sheriff Berry released the following statement about the incident:

"Children with special needs can present special challenges for families. However, they must and will be protected from attack and assault by family members or others. The Office of the Sheriff will always protect those who cannot protect themselves."

On UGA's website, a bio for Pratt listed the professor as specializing in research and publications surrounding civil rights, African American history, and desegregation.