A DeSoto County jury has found 42-year-old Ricquan Thomas, of Horn Lake, guilty of felony child abuse following a trial that began Monday, the DeSoto County District Attorney’s Office announced.

Prosecutors said the abuse happened on July 12, 2024, when Thomas — a former MMA fighter in New Mexico — struck his 12-year-old son multiple times in the face, torso, arms, legs, and back with a closed fist and by kicking. The attack caused extensive bruising, swelling, and a broken wrist when the child fell. Thomas did not seek medical care for his son.

The victim’s mother, who was working out of state as a traveling nurse, contacted Child Protective Services after learning of the injuries. CPS immediately removed the child from Thomas’s care until his mother could return to Mississippi. The nex

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