Officer hurt in struggle after little girl abandoned at local daycare

A Killeen police officer who was injured Friday in a struggle with a man who had left his 4-year-old daughter at a daycare, telling employees he didn’t want her anymore, is out of the hospital, authorities said Friday.

The officer, whose name was not released, was taken by ambulance to Seton Medical Center Harker Heights after he was injured early Thursday afternoon.

He was treated and was later released.

Police received a call at around 1 p.m. Thursday from the daycare in the 1200 block of W.S. Young Drive after the girl was dropped off.

“The daycare stated that the child did not attend their facility and they did not know who either were,” police said in a press release Friday.

Witnesses had taken down the license plate number of the man’s vehicle and police traced it to an apartment at 600 West Hallmark Avenue, police said.

An officer knocked on the door of the apartment and a man answered.

“The officer asked the male if he had just dropped off a child at a daycare facility he stated that he did, and that he did not want her any longer,” police said.

The man then tried to slam the door, but the officer grabbed him and a struggle ensued.

“During the altercation, the officer attempted to deploy his Taser however the suspect grabbed the Taser taking it from the officer,” police said.

Other officers arrived and were able to take the man into custody.

The girl is now in the custody of Texas Child Protective Services, police said.

Antonio Heath, Jr., was taken into custody, police said.

He is facing charges of attempting to take a peace officer’s weapon, assault on a public servant and abandoning a child, police said.

The case will be forwarded to the Bell County District Attorney’s Office for screening.