Forsyth man charged with biting two 8-year-old girls

By Christopher Quinn

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Forsyth County deputies jailed a man Tuesday on two counts of misdemeanor battery for biting 8-year-old girls in separate incidents, Sheriff Ted Paxton said.

Gordon Kent Nelson, 44, of Buckingham Circle in Cumming turned himself in after a monthlong investigation.

He already was facing a lawsuit from the parents of one victim, who allegedly was bitten last August.

The victim reported she was bitten when spending the night with Nelson's daughter. A deputy investigated, but no charges were filed, so Paul Holbrook, the victim's father, sued Nelson to recover medical costs for treating the bite on the calf and for punitive damages.

Nelson told the investigator at the time that he was wrestling with the kids and did not mean to hurt anyone.

Holbrook said, "I hate that he had to bite another kid before they finally charged him."

The second victim was spending the night on March 29 with the daughter of a woman Nelson is seeing. The bite allegedly occurred while Nelson was alone with the child, Paxton said. She was bitten above the hip. Her father reported it, and deputies reopened the first case.

Nelson is being held without bond pending a first-appearance court hearing.

His attorney in the civil case, Scott Huray, said he does not represent Nelson in the criminal cases. He declined to comment on the civil case.

Don Singleton, the Holbrooks' attorney, said he expects the civil case will move forward despite the criminal charges.