A corrections deputy with the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office has been arrested after he allegedly put liquid hand soap in a 7-year-old girl’s mouth and choked her while hitting her in the face.Ryan Robert Ferguson, 29, was arrested on a child abuse charge Wednesday, the sheriff’s office said. The abuse allegedly occurred last Sunday.According to an arrest affidavit, the girl told investigators that Ferguson put liquid hand soap in her mouth because she lied about something. He then threw her onto the couch and slapped her on the bottom repeatedly.The girl said after that Ferguson pulled her off the couch, dropped her on her back to the tile floor and began hitting her in the face with an open and closed hand. The girl said that Ferguson was choking her as he hit her, according to the affidavit.Detectives said the girl’s face, neck, forehead and lower back were red the next day. A doctor found that the girl had bruises under her eyes, which were consistent with being choked. An investigation determined the girl also had bruising on her forehead, which was consistent with being hit with a closed fist.Ferguson has worked with the sheriff’s office since 2011.

A corrections deputy with the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office has been arrested after he allegedly put liquid hand soap in a 7-year-old girl’s mouth and choked her while hitting her in the face.

Ryan Robert Ferguson, 29, was arrested on a child abuse charge Wednesday, the sheriff’s office said. The abuse allegedly occurred last Sunday.


According to an arrest affidavit, the girl told investigators that Ferguson put liquid hand soap in her mouth because she lied about something. He then threw her onto the couch and slapped her on the bottom repeatedly.

The girl said after that Ferguson pulled her off the couch, dropped her on her back to the tile floor and began hitting her in the face with an open and closed hand. The girl said that Ferguson was choking her as he hit her, according to the affidavit.

Detectives said the girl’s face, neck, forehead and lower back were red the next day. A doctor found that the girl had bruises under her eyes, which were consistent with being choked. An investigation determined the girl also had bruising on her forehead, which was consistent with being hit with a closed fist.

Ferguson has worked with the sheriff’s office since 2011.