James Anthony Morris Jr., 34, has pleaded guilty to child abuse after an incident in which he locked a 10-year-old girl in a back room of a Subway restaurant in Jacksonville, Florida. Despite the severity of the incident, Morris will avoid prison time, receiving a sentence of just two days in jail, with credit for time already served, and three years of probation.
The Incident
On July 21, 2025, Morris, who was the manager of the Subway restaurant, became upset when a customer’s 10-year-old daughter accidentally walked across an area he had just cleaned. The girl’s mother instructed her to apologize, but when she did, Morris grabbed the girl and locked her in a back room.
The girl’s mother initially thought Morris was joking, but when she went to retrieve her daughter, Morris pushed the door closed and prevented her from getting in. The girl, locked in the room for about two minutes, became frightened and feared she was being kidnapped. During this time, Morris ranted at the girl, making degrading comments about her parents.
Eventually, the mother was able to get her daughter out of the room and immediately contacted the police. Morris, who refused to speak with officers, was arrested at the scene, though he bonded out shortly thereafter.
The Court Case and Sentence
On April 30, 2026, Morris pleaded guilty to one count of child abuse. His sentence, which was handed down shortly thereafter, included two days in jail with credit for time already served, meaning he faced no additional jail time.
He was also sentenced to three years of probation, ordered to stay away from the victim and her mother, and required to undergo both a mental health and substance abuse evaluation.
Additionally, Morris was ordered to pay $769 in court fees.
