A Florida man was arrested on suspicion of child cruelty after throwing lit fireworks beneath a sleeping 9-year-old girl’s bed Saturday morning in what he told authorities was a “prank gone wrong,” investigators said.

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Matthew Morrison, 44, threw a sting of lit firecrackers under the bed, causing the girl to become so scared she was crying and shaking, according to the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office.

The homeowner then chased Morrison out of the house, deputies said. The homeowner told investigators that he let Morrison live in a tent outside the house but Morrison was not allowed inside.

Morrison was arrested and charged with burglary, child cruelty without great harm and possession of a controlled substance, deputies said.

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Members of the conversion crew take a break as the main scoreboard is lowered to the floor to be worked on as the arena gets ready for the next concert at State Farm Arena, Thursday, October 2, 2025, in Atlanta. The crew was working on creating a stage for the Friday, Oct. 3 Maxwell concert. (Jason Getz/AJC)

Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com