The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office has arrested 27-year-old Heath Howe of Sarasota for tying up a four year old child with rope.

The victim said she was watching television on May 17th when Howe tied her up with rope and left her in the kitchen while he played what the victim described as violent video games. The victim remained tied up in the kitchen until her mother and a friend came home from the gym. The mother did nothing to assist the child but her friend untied the victim. The rope left ligature marks on the girl’s left and right arms and red spots caused by a hemorrhage of blood vessels under the skin.

Detectives arrested Howe at his home in the 3400 block of Clark Road Wednesday afternoon. He is charged with one count of Child Abuse.