MANATEE COUNTY - Two people were charged with child abuse in separate cases this week.

Christopher Dowdy, 45, of the 1000 block of Manatee Avenue East, was arrested Wednesday and charged with child abuse after numerous incidents of roughly disciplining his 8-month-old daughter, according to a Bradenton Police Department report.

The child was taken to Manatee Memorial Hospital Sunday after having problems breathing. Hospital personnel found her to have an old healing rib and leg fractures.

The infant's 5-year-old sister said that Dowdy beat the child with a shoe and the child's mother told police that Dowdy used a "flip flop" to spank the girl.

Dowdy admitted spanking the child with a "flip flop" and would spank her on the bare buttocks with his hand, but denied ever intentionally abusing the child.

Also this week, a 28-year-old woman was arrested Tuesday and charged with child abuse after she got angry with her son while he was doing his homework and threw him against the wall, which caused injuries to his head and buttocks and left multiple bruises on his arms, according to a Manatee County Sheriff's Office report.

Crystal Frizzell was arrested at her residence in the 5800 block of 23rd Street West around 6 p.m. She became angry when the victim's little brother fell off a chair. After throwing her older son against the wall, she began to strike him again when he would not get up, causing swelling and bruising on the right side of his head, the report said.