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Father Charged in Stabbing 6-year-old Son

TAMPA, Fla. (CBS4) – A father who was treated for mental illness six weeks ago was jailed Saturday for allegedly stabbing his 6-year-old son more than 20 times.

Xavier Thomas, 23, is being held without bond, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

Thomas had been watching New Year's fireworks with relatives Friday, and when the show was over he took his son, also named Xavier, to a play area in the apartment complex.

About 30 minutes later he returned without the boy and then took off running when asked where the child was.

Relatives called authorities, and about the time deputies arrived the blood-covered child appeared.

The sheriff's office said none of the child's wounds were life threatening. The child's grandmother said the father had been treated for a mental illness about six weeks prior to the stabbing.

(© 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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