Man arrested after throwing 3-year-old into Liberty Park pond, police say

Man arrested after throwing 3-year-old into Liberty Park pond, police say

(Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office)


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SALT LAKE CITY — Police arrested a man over the weekend after they say he threw a 3-year-old girl and her uncle into the pond at Liberty Park.

Jeremy John Olivia, 32, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of child abuse, assault, and failing to stop at the command of an officer.

Friday night, Olivia tried to punch the uncle but missed, “then threw him into the pond at Liberty Park,” according to a police affidavit. Olivia then “picked up the victim’s 3-year-old niece and threw her into the pond where she went completely underwater.”

The affidavit does not say why the men were fighting. No serious injuries were reported.

After throwing the girl in the pond, Olivia ran out of the park. Police spotted him near 1300 South and 200 East, but he ignored the officer's commands to stop and continued running for several blocks until he was arrested near 1300 S. West Temple, according to the affidavit.

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Pat Reavy, KSLPat Reavy
Pat Reavy interned with KSL in 1989 and has been a full-time journalist for either KSL or Deseret News since 1991. For the past 25 years, he has worked primarily the cops and courts beat.
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