SOUTH FULTON, Ga. — The South Fulton Police Department has filed charges against a coach involved in an incident that injured a child during football practice at Old National Park earlier this week.
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Jonathan Richard Sagers, has been charged with cruelty to children in the first degree, a felony, and battery, a misdemeanor.
People at the Old National Knights practice told Channel 2 Investigative Reporter Ashli Lincoln that the child wasn’t hurt playing football.
Witnesses say his coach pushed him down, and the boy collapsed shortly after.
“We do not move forward with arrests or charges until we’ve gathered sufficient evidence,” said Dr. Cedric Alexander, Interim South Fulton Public Safety Director. “We appreciate the community’s patience as our investigators worked feverishly to establish the facts in this case.”
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Officials did not identify the child but said he has been released from the hospital.
Lincoln previously reported Sagers was also taken into custody for outstanding warrants from the City of Atlanta, including possession of drugs, possession of a weapon, and driving on a suspended license.
According to South Fulton authorities, Sagers had passed a background check in late July before joining the football team as a volunteer coach.
However, warrants out of Atlanta were issued in August.
The investigation into the incident remains active and ongoing, with no further details being released at this time.
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