23-085 Deputies Arrest Safety Harbor Man for Child Abuse After Seen Shaking 4-Month-Old

Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office
Patrol Operations Bureau
Investigative Operations Bureau
-Crimes Against Children Unit

Donovan Edward Hartzell (Suspect - Arrested)
DOB: 11/20/1996
Charge: One count of Child Abuse

The victim is a 4-month-old female. Per Florida Statute 119.071(2)(h)1, no further information will be released that would tend to identify the victim.

PINELLAS COUNTY – Deputies assigned to the Patrol Operations Bureau arrested a Safety Harbor man for child abuse on a 4-month-old infant.

On June 17, 2023, at approximately 10:35 a.m., deputies responded to a private residence in Safety Harbor after a report of child abuse. The mother of the 4-month-old victim, who was not at the residence, told deputies the father of the child was seen on a camera inside the residence shaking and hurting the victim. When deputies arrived on scene, 26-year-old Donovan Hartzell was found in a bedroom and the victim was laying on the bed crying. Deputies say the victim had visible red marks on her face, neck, arm, and chest.

Detectives assigned to the Crimes Against Children Unit responded and say that the video provided by the mother shows Hartzell holding the victim by her shoulders and shaking her vigorously back and forth. After shaking the victim, Hartzell is seen with the victim on his lap while she is visibly crying, and he begins aggressively rubbing a blanket in her face.

The victim was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Hartzell was arrested and charged with Child Abuse. He was transported to the Pinellas County Jail without incident.

The investigation continues.