Hastings police will further investigate an allegation that a Barry County Transit driver spanked a five-year-old girl on Monday, May 16.  Police Chief Jeff Pratt said the incident was investigated and sent to the Barry Prosecutor’s Office for review; the prosecutor’s office asked for more information on the incident.

Pratt said the child told her mother the transit driver had spanked her and the mother reported it to police. “The daughter and her mother did the right thing by reporting it, that’s just what we say they should do,” he said.

There was physical contact, and investigators will try to determine if the contact was child abuse, he said. The report will then go back to the prosecutor’s office for review.

Transit Director Bill Voigt said he would withhold comment until the prosecutor’s office finishes its review.