Suspected illegal immigrant in Clover accused of beating daughter, 16, police said

A man police say is in the country illegally is in the York County jail after he was accused of beating his daughter.

Luis Manuel Perez, 39, is charged with felony child abuse, said Capt. Logan McGarity of the Clover Police Department.

Police were called to a Sumter Street home late Friday, McGarity said.

The older of Perez’s two daughters, 16, told officers that she was watching a music video in her room when Perez slapped her in the face and punched her, according to a police incident report.

The girl’s younger sister, 11, then jumped on her father’s back and pleaded for Perez to stop the assault, police said.

Perez admitted to officers that he slapped his older daughter and then “tried to discipline” the child for talking back to him and using cursing language, according to the incident report.

Perez was arrested and taken to the York County jail.

At the jail, York County Sheriff’s office deputies found that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials stated that Perez is in the country illegally.

An ICE hold was placed on Perez.

Issuance of an immigration detainer generally means the person is a foreign national, subject to removal from the country, according to ICE. A detainer serves notice to local law enforcement that ICE seeks to take the person into custody when they would otherwise be released by the agency.