Weldon Nash Miller

An East Texas man has been sentenced to eight years’ probation for abusing a 5-year-old Arp-area boy who later ran away from his home.

Weldon Nash Miller, 24, of Murchison, was sentenced to probation Sept. 21 along with a requirement of 160 community service hours in the 7th District Court.

Miller pleaded guilty to injury to a child Aug. 25. He was arrested April 21 and released the same day of his plea.

According to court records, if Miller fails to meet the requirements of his probation , he could face prison time .

Police documents show Miller’s arrest was related to an Arp-area child who went missing April 7. A report wasn’t made to the Smith County Sheriff’s Office until three hours after the child’s disappearance was noticed. The child was later found safely the next morning, which was 14 hours after the boy was last seen.

During an interview at the Children’s Advocacy Center of Smith County, the boy told a deputy that Miller pushed his head into the shower and hurt his mouth. The boy said he got lost in the forest and slept next to a lake with his dog April 7, according to the arrest warrant affidavit.

He said he was shocked by an electric fence after putting his hands and feet on it , the affidavit stated.

The 5-year-old told police when Miller spanks him on the buttocks, he slaps the child’s shoulder and “everywhere” with his hand, the document said. The affidavit explained the boy’s mother often was out of town for work and returned on the weekends.

The mother told police she had a FaceTime call from Miller on April 6, and her son told her, “Mommy, Nash put me in the bathtub and put my head against the wall.” The boy said this happened because he put toilet paper in the bathtub, according to the affidavit.

Miller told the mother he wouldn’t do it again and apologized, and she denied knowing Miller assaulted the child any other time aside from spankings on the buttocks, the affidavit read.

Miller is a registered sex offender, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety registry website. The registry states Miller was charged with aggravated sexual assault of a 9-year-old girl in 2014.