A local teenager was arrested Tuesday for allegedly beating his girlfriend’s 18-month-old baby girl with a belt.

Ryan C. Marvel, 19, 105 Downing Road, was being held at the Natchez City Jail Wednesday on a $10,000 bond. He is charged with felony child abuse. He is also charged with simple assault, domestic violence, for allegedly abusing the 23-year-old mother.

The abuse began Monday at the mother’s residence at 514 Martin Luther King Jr. St., police said.

&uot;He came home Monday, beat (the mother), and the next day he beat the baby,&uot; said Natchez Police Chief Willie Huff. &uot;(The mother) came home on the 23rd and found welts and bruises all over the baby.&uot;

She then brought the baby to the police department and reported the abuse, Huff said.

The injuries to the mother and baby were not serious, Huff said.

Despite giving a different address to police, Marvel has been living with the mother at her residence, Huff said.