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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In this file photo from October 2024, Atlanta Braves outfielder Jorge Soler and teammates react after losing to the San Diego Padres 5-4 in San Diego. The Braves and Soler, who now plays for the Los Angeles Angels, face a lawsuit by a fan injured at a 2021 World Series game at Truist Park in Atlanta. (Jason Getz/AJC)

Credit: Jason.Getz@ajc.com