A Florida man has avoided a lengthy prison sentence after admitting to child abuse in connection with an incident involving a ten-year-old girl. James Anthony Morris Jr., 34, pled guilty on April 30, nearly a year after he was arrested for locking the girl in a back room of a Subway restaurant in Jacksonville.
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According to court documents, Morris Jr. has been sentenced to three years of probation and is required to pay £769 in court costs. While he will not serve an extensive prison sentence, he has been given two days in jail credit for time already served. In addition to these penalties, Morris Jr. will undergo evaluations for substance abuse and mental health, as well as any required follow-up treatment.
The charges stem from an incident on July 21, 2025, when Morris Jr. was working as the manager of the Subway outlet located on Argyle Forest Boulevard. Reports indicate that the victim’s mother informed police that her daughter had inadvertently walked across an area of freshly mopped floor. After the mother asked her daughter to apologise to Morris Jr., the situation escalated dramatically.
Witness accounts reveal that Morris Jr. took the girl by the hand and led her to a locked back room of the restaurant. The mother attempted to intervene but found herself in a struggle to open the door, which Morris Jr. had firmly closed. She then screamed for help, and after a tense moment, managed to force the door open just enough for her daughter to escape and run to safety.
The victim later recounted to authorities that Morris Jr. had berated her parents, claiming they were “trash and terrible people.” This outburst left the girl feeling frightened, making her believe she was being kidnapped. Importantly, the police reports confirm that there were no sexual advances made towards the victim, and she had not known Morris Jr. prior to the incident.
In the aftermath, a bystander who was present with the victim and her mother witnessed the unfolding events and subsequently contacted authorities. This witness expressed concern about Morris Jr.’s behaviour, suggesting the girl may have been in danger during the encounter.
Morris Jr. was arrested shortly after the incident on July 22, 2025, and was initially held on a bond of £5,003. The court proceedings leading up to his guilty plea included scrutiny of his actions and the circumstances surrounding the incident, ultimately leading to the charges of child abuse and false imprisonment.
Following the court’s decision, Morris Jr. has been restricted from contacting both the victim and her family. His probation requirements include regular assessments to address his mental health and potential substance use issues, underscoring the seriousness with which the court is treating the situation.
This case has highlighted concerns regarding child safety and the responsibilities of individuals working in positions of authority, particularly in public settings. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilance in safeguarding children, ensuring that such behaviour is neither tolerated nor overlooked.
As the community reflects on this troubling event, many are calling for increased awareness and preventative measures to protect children from similar situations in the future. The quick actions of the victim’s mother and the bystander who called for assistance certainly played a key role in averting further harm during this distressing incident.