A 29-year-old man was arrested late Friday after doorbell camera footage showed a 3-year-old boy being punched and lifted by the head and neck outside a southwest Waco apartment building, police said. The suspect, identified as Paul Thames, surrendered to authorities hours after the video was shared with investigators.
Police said officers were dispatched Friday afternoon to the Legend Apartments after a resident reported the attack captured on a Ring device. The boy was taken by emergency crews for evaluation and later released. Thames was booked into the McLennan County Jail on a charge of injury to a child, a third-degree felony, and his bond was set at $200,000. Detectives are reviewing video from the doorbell camera and other sources to complete a timeline of the incident. Authorities did not immediately confirm Thames’ relationship to the child, which remains a key question as the investigation continues.
Responding officers arrived at the complex after 5 p.m. and secured the courtyard area where the assault occurred, according to police. The recording shows a man striking the toddler at least five times with a closed fist and lifting the child by the head and neck while issuing commands; at one point a voice says, “stop playing,” as the boy cries. Investigators collected the original Ring file from the resident who owned the device, canvassed nearby units for additional angles, and requested copies of any security footage covering the walkway and parking lot. Thames surrendered later that evening and was taken into custody without incident at the jail, police said.
Authorities said the child was transported to a local hospital, where medical staff assessed him for visible trauma and internal injuries before releasing him to a legal guardian. Police did not disclose the guardian’s name or the child’s living arrangements, citing privacy rules. Officers notified Child Protective Services and documented the boy’s injuries with photographs consistent with standard protocol in felony child-injury cases. Investigators said no rail or traffic hazards were involved and that no weapons were recovered. The apartment complex’s management confirmed it provided access to any on-site surveillance systems as part of the evidence review.
The Legend Apartments sit along a cluster of low-rise buildings on Waco’s south side, where exterior doors open to shared breezeways and parking courts visible from entry cameras. Neighbors said families with young children often gather near the stoops in late afternoons. In similar cases, police typically pull metadata from digital files to establish exact timestamps and frame comparisons, then match those with 911 call logs and officer body-camera records. The increasing presence of consumer doorbell cameras in multifamily housing has given investigators more vantage points for incidents that once relied mainly on eyewitness accounts.
Thames faces a third-degree felony count of injury to a child. Under Texas law, a conviction can carry a prison term and fines; final penalties vary based on facts established in court. Prosecutors will evaluate the case file after detectives complete interviews with the reporting resident, nearby witnesses, and any caregivers connected to the child. A judge set bond at $200,000. Jail records listed Thames as held in McLennan County on Saturday, and no attorney of record was immediately available in public filings. Authorities said additional charges could be considered if new evidence emerges.
Police said they expect to release updates after forensic review of the video and medical findings. That process includes extracting still images, enhancing audio for clarity, and determining whether the clip shows the entire encounter or a portion. The department also requested any other footage from residents whose doorways face the courtyard. “Stop playing,” the voice heard in the recording says as the man lifts the child, according to investigators’ description of the video. Officers emphasized that the child’s immediate medical needs took priority at the scene, followed by interviews and evidence collection.
Residents described a swift law enforcement response Friday evening, with patrol units positioning near complex entrances as detectives knocked on doors. A woman who lives two units away said she saw officers reviewing the doorbell app on a neighbor’s phone. Another neighbor said parents ushered children inside as sirens approached. The complex’s property manager, reached by phone, said staff cooperated with police and reminded tenants to share any recordings that might show the minutes before and after the assault.
As of Sunday afternoon, police had not announced additional arrests or clarified how the suspect and child know each other. The boy remained with a guardian following his hospital evaluation, and the crossing points within the courtyard reopened to residents. Investigators said their next updates will follow scheduled interviews and the completion of video analysis.
Author note: Last updated January 18, 2026.