A Leesburg man was arrested for battery after allegedly slapping the mother of his child during a custody swap of their child.

Kiuante Nathaniel Bedford
Kiuante Nathaniel Bedford

An officer responded to a battery at 904 E. Magnolia St. around 8:50 p.m. Monday, according to an arrest report from the Leesburg Police Department. The female victim called 911 and reported that her child’s father, 31-year-old Kiuante Nathaniel Bedford, struck her in the face during a custody exchange and fled the scene before law enforcement arrived. 

The victim advised dispatch that she was on the way to UF Health Leesburg Hospital, located at 600 E. Dixie Ave., for evaluation and requested officers meet her there. Upon the officer’s arrival at the hospital, the victim gave a detailed account of the incident, the report said. 

The victim explained Bedford contacted her earlier, saying he did not want to keep custody of their child and instructing her to pick up the child. They agreed to meet at his mother’s residence, located at 904 E. Magnolia St., the report said. 

When the victim arrived, Bedford became confrontational and yelled at her in the driveway. She was standing on the passenger side of the vehicle unbuckling the child when Bedford, positioned on the driver’s side, reached across the vehicle and struck the victim on the right side of her face with an open left hand. The victim described experiencing pain and later observed redness and swelling in the area that was struck, the report said. 

The victim’s account was corroborated by a witness, her aunt, who stated she saw Bedford strike the victim. Both the victim and the witness provided sworn statements. During an interview, the officer observed light redness and swelling on the victim’s right cheek, consistent with her account of the battery, the report said. 

Photographs of the injuries were taken and submitted as evidence. Additionally, the victim provided text messages sent by Bedford earlier that day in which he threatened to slap her, the report said. 

The officer contacted Bedford by phone, and he agreed to meet at the LPD. Upon his arrival, the officer read him his rights, which he acknowledged and waived. Bedford then denied any physical contact with the victim and provided a sworn written statement. He also stated that no video footage of the incident was available despite the presence of cameras at the residence, the report said. 

Bedford was subsequently arrested on charge of simple battery (domestic). He was transported to Lake County Jail and released after posting $1,500 bond.