Florida man caught on camera pinning down 11-year-old girl he thought was egging his home

A Florida man ran down and pinned an 11-year-old girl he had suspected of egging his home in a “reprehensible” confrontation that was caught on video, authorities said Monday.

The girl was screaming for help and insisting she had done nothing wrong after 43-year-old Marius Mutu put her on the ground Saturday afternoon, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

Mutu later told deputies that his apartment had been egged in recent days and when “it happened again that day, he assumed the girl walking nearby was responsible,” according to a sheriff’s statement.

He “chased her, forced her to the ground, and restrained her until adults intervened,” the sheriff added.

“I wasn’t doing anything, I swear to god!” the terrified girl could be heard screaming in video. “Help me! Help me!”

Neighbors heard and saw the commotion.

“I’m recording,” a woman said in the video. “Get off of her!”

Then a man ran into the frame and confronted Mutu: “Hey, hey, get your hands off of her!”

Mutu said he just wanted to take a picture of the girl and share with apartment managers, officials said. Mutu was arrested and released after he was booked on suspicion of battery and false imprisonment.

“This type of behavior is not only unacceptable, it’s reprehensible. The safety of our children is non-negotiable,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement.

“This child endured a terrifying and traumatic experience at the hands of someone who chose to take matters into his own hands. We remain committed to protecting our children and ensuring those who harm them are held fully accountable.”

It was not clear Tuesday morning if Mutu had hired or been assigned an attorney to speak on his behalf. He did not have a publicly listed phone number in Tampa.

Mutu works in the parking department of the city of Tampa, arrest records show.

The city confirmed that Mutu started his job as a parking enforcement specialist last week, with an annual salary of $42,078,40.

“He is currently suspended while the situation is under review,” according to a city spokesperson.