Alleged child abuser has history of violence

Louisville, KY - By Connie Leonard - bio | email

LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - A four-year-old boy continues to fight for his life at Kosair Children's Hospital after police say the mother's boyfriend, 29-year-old Johnny Juliot, put the child through a brutal beating.

Louisville Metro Police tell us the little boy is critically hurt.

Juliot is in jail charged with first degree criminal abuse and investigators tell us he has a violent history. Police in southern Indiana tell us just two months ago, Juliot was dating another woman who he beat and tried to strangle.

After the child was hurt Wednesday, investigators began searching for Juliot.

"They told us to put our hands up and get out of the car," said John, a resident in a New Albany apartment building where Juliot once stayed.

John, who didn't want to be further identified, told WAVE 3 News it was a tense situation Wednesday night. Police had the apartment building surrounded on the hunt for Juliot. He and his ex-girlfriend recently lived at the address and police thought he might be hiding out there.

John and his wife just moved in and had no idea what was going on.

"A female officer told my wife to put her hands up and they had guns and stuff on her," said John, who told us he quickly handed over his license and police informed him who they were looking for - Johnny Juliot.

The man and his wife say they let police search their apartment and remembered what their landlord had told them about the violence between Juliot and his ex-girlfriend.

"The dude and his girlfriend used to fight all the time," John said, while showing us a patch over a large hole in the wall where Juliot allegedly shoved his ex-girlfriend's head.

In October, police issued a warrant for Juliot's arrest in Floyd County, Indiana According to court records, the ex-girlfriend said he punched her in the head and chest, head-butted her, kicked her, and then held up a knife and hit her in the back of the head with it. According to those court documents her two small children were in earshot of the violence. Now Juliot is accused of abusing his current girlfriend's four-year-old son while the mother was out.

"There is nothing that a four-year-old could do to deserve any type of assault, this is horrible," said Officer Carey Klain, a LMPD spokesperson, of the violence toward the boy.

The boy was rushed to Kosair Children's Hospital with three skull fractures and bruises covering his body.

According to the police report, Juliot admitted he used a toothbrush handle to pry the boy's mouth open as he suffered a seizure from the abuse. The police report also states Juliot cleaned up the scene in an attempt to destroy evidence.

Police say while Juliot's charges could be upgraded, the mother likely won't be in trouble with the law because she was not aware of his violent background.

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