Man accused of hitting boy who vomited after eating squirrel soup

A 50-year-old man was arrested over the weekend for a December incident in which he punished a young boy after he refused to finish his breakfast of freshly hunted squirrel soup and vomit.

Marc S. Smith of suburban Jupiter was booked into the Palm Beach County Jail on Saturday on a charge of cruelty toward a child. He was released later that day after posting $3,000 bond.

The alleged child abuse incident took place Dec. 23. Smith made breakfast for a young boy, whose name was not released in a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s probable cause affidavit. The meal — freshly hunted squirrel soup — was placed in a bowl for the boy. The boy was ill and began “violently” coughing, causing him to vomit into the soup bowl.

The vomit angered Smith, who then told the boy to finish the remaining soup and vomit.

The boy refused to do so, which angered Smith even more. Smith took off his belt and hit the boy with it, the affidavit says. Out of fear of what other punishment he might receive, the boy ran to a neighbor’s home where he later spoke with deputies.

Deputies noted in the affidavit that the boy had a bump on the top of his head and abrasions on his left forearm and wrist.