A Cumming woman recently was arrested, accused of punching a man numerous times in the face, and charged with aggravated battery and cruelty to children.



Forsyth County Sheriff's Office deputies arrived at a Westgate Drive home at 2:48 a.m. to find Valerie Michelle Leonard, 30, run outside and clean her face, spokesman Doug Rainwater said. It appeared to deputies she had been in a fight.



A child younger than 12 then came outside "screaming Daddy was in the house," Rainwater added, citing the report detailing the Nov. 10 incident. Deputies found the man, 34, inside the home with blood on his face; he told authorities Abernathy had punched him in the face numerous times.



Deputies thought the man may have been hit with "more than just fists," Rainwater said, again citing the incident report, but authorities determined he allegedly was hit in the face only with Abernathy's "balled fists."



"He said he didn't want to hit her back because she's a female," Rainwater said, noting both the mom and dad had been drinking alcohol and were intoxicated.



Rainwater said Abernathy was yelling and cursing as deputies conducted their investigation and appeared uninjured, except for a scratch.



"It was just a knock-out, drag-out between a husband and wife and he didn't fight back," Rainwater said. "She was the only aggressor in this case."



Abernathy has since bonded out of jail. Her bail was sent at $28,215, according to a jail log provided by FCSO.



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