According to law enforcement records obtained by the Independent Florida Alligator newspaper, the state Department of Children and Families in October investigated Gators head baseball coach Kevin O'Sullivan for abuse allegations reported by one of his teenage children.
Six days before he took a leave of absence in October, Florida head baseball coach Kevin O'Sullivan was being investigated by state child welfare officials about verbal abuse allegations made by one of his teenage children, the Independent Florida Alligator reported Wednesday.
According to law enforcement records obtained by the Alligator, "the state Department of Children and Families planned to remove the child from O’Sullivan’s home on Oct. 16 — six days before UF announced that O’Sullivan, the most successful baseball coach in the university’s history, was taking an indefinite leave of absence to address 'personal and family issues.'" It is unknown if that removal occurred.
A state DCF investigator and three Alachua County sheriff’s deputies heard the teen's allegations, according to a sheriff’s report that the student newspaper obtained under Florida’s public records law. "The report said sheriff’s deputies found no evidence of criminal activity, and court records show O’Sullivan has not been arrested or charged," the Alligator's story said.
The teen provided videos to the DCF investigator that showed O’Sullivan “screaming and cussing” at both children, according to the report. The teen played a video, which a deputy described as showing O’Sullivan “cursing” at both of his children and “making threats to harm them.”
O’Sullivan, 56, told authorities he has not hit the teen but raises his voice during disputes involving the teen’s cell phone, according to the sheriff’s report. “Kevin stated he wished he dealt with the situation differently,” an Alachua sheriff's deputy wrote.
The status of the state's investigations are unknown.