Meridian Behavioral Healthcare employee arrested for allegedly choking six-year-old patient

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Kechedryi Linchanueshawnt Smith, 32, was arrested yesterday and charged with aggravated child abuse after allegedly choking a six-year-old child who was a patient at Meridian Behavioral Healthcare.

At about 10:45 a.m. on October 27, Smith was working as a Mental Health Technician at Meridian Behavioral Healthcare (1541 SW Williston Road) when she allegedly pushed and choked the victim, who was a patient at the facility.

The responding Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy reported that the child had been involved in a dispute with other patients and had been separated from them; however, the child was still upset and reportedly spit on Smith. Smith allegedly push the child to the floor and grabbed his neck with both hands.

Two witnesses reportedly told the deputy that they heard the child coughing in a common area of the unit and saw Smith “standing over” the child. The witnesses reported that the child had multiple bruises and abrasions on his neck, but neither witness saw Smith choking the child. The witnesses said they confronted Smith, who said “I did it” and “Do whatever you need to do.” Smith was reportedly ordered to leave the facility at that point.

The child reportedly told law enforcement that he had been “choked,” but he seemed to be afraid to provide the name of the person who choked him.

A deputy made contact with Smith at her home, and post Miranda, she reportedly said she walked toward the child in an effort to “scare” him, causing him to fall to the floor; she said she “held him to the ground” with one hand on his back but denied placing her hands on his neck.

When asked about the child’s injuries, Smith reportedly said they had been caused by other patients during the earlier altercation, but the deputy reported that Smith later said that she had not previously noticed any injuries on the child. Smith reportedly said she was “stressed” and that she “lost control.”

The deputy reported that video surveillance showed the child walking toward Smith, who was sitting in a chair. As the child approached Smith, Smith allegedly raised a leg and put her foot on the child’s chest, pushing him away; the child reportedly responded by spitting on Smith, and she allegedly jumped to her feet and chased the child across the day room. The child reportedly fled into a corner and dove to the floor; Smith allegedly knelt above him before moving her hands toward his neck, out of view of the camera.

The deputy reported that the child’s injuries are consistent with hands being placed on his neck to choke him.

Smith reportedly denied choking and kicking the child, but when she was shown the video, she reportedly admitted using her foot to “create distance” between herself and the child.

The deputy concluded that Smith’s actions could reasonably be expected to injure the child and were not based on accepted best practices in restraining patients in a facility like Meridian.

Smith has been charged with aggravated child abuse. She has no criminal convictions; she was arrested in February 2023 for stabbing a man with a steak knife, but the charge was dropped about a month later. Judge Meshon Rawls ordered her held without bail pending a hearing on a motion from the State Attorney’s Office to hold her without bail until trial.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.