MIAMI – An 18-year-old high school student accused of child abuse appeared before Miami-Dade County Circuit Judge Laura Anne Stuzin on Saturday morning.
Stuzin ordered Mykola Sokol to stay away from the 14-year-old victim of an alleged beating on March 16 at Gwen Margolis Park, at 17815 North Bay Road, in Sunny Isles Beach.
Sokol was born in Ukraine and is a resident of the affluent beach town known as Miami-Dade’s Little Moscow, according to police. His defense told Stuzin that he didn’t have a criminal record.
Sokol was with his mother and a defense attorney when he surrendered to Sunny Isles Beach police officers on Friday. He was at the Metrowest Detention Center on Saturday afternoon, records show.
“He punched and kicked him after he was rendered unconscious,” said Sgt. Brian Schnell, a spokesman for the police department, about the video evidence of the beating.
Miami-Dade correctional officers booked Sokol shortly before 2:20 p.m., on Friday. He is facing one count of aggravated child abuse. Stuzin set his bond at $7,500 with alternate house arrest.
Schnell said a second attacker was also caught beating the victim on the video and he had yet to face charges.
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Local 10 News Assignment Desk Editor Wilson Louis contributed to this report.