I hope to see these same innocent until proven guilty comments on every thread about someone who has been arrested. And IMO no matter what the final outcome, the sheriff does not "need to go" if this is "nothing more than whopping a kid" The sheriff does his or her job by making arrests when there is cause, the judicial system will take it from here. If there is an accusation it becomes the obligation of the police to investigate and if appropriate arrest. If the arrest was inappropriate then the accused has access to that same judicial system for relief. It's the system we have, and it usually works well at least for non-poor people. And "whopping a kid" is a crime as it should be.
Florida chapter 39
Abuse” means any willful act or threatened act that results in any physical, mental, or sexual abuse, injury, or harm that causes or is likely to cause the child’s physical, mental, or emotional health to be significantly impaired. Abuse of a child includes acts or omissions. Corporal discipline of a child by a parent or legal custodian for disciplinary purposes does not in itself constitute abuse when it does not result in harm to the child.
The law goes on to define "harm" and if you wish to understand the severity of what has to allegedly happen before a charge can be made I would strongly encourage you to read the things that are listed as covered.
Statutes & Constitution :View Statutes : Online Sunshine