A Hartselle man is being held on $10,000 bond after police charged him with aggravated child abuse.

Hartselle police said today that officers began an investigation Monday after a tip that a man had been physically abusing his girlfriend’s five-year-old child.

Conducting a welfare check, officers determined the child had been “severely beaten” and had “serious physical injuries.”

According to police, the child was taken to a hospital for treatment.

Ryan Craig Rezek, 29, was arrested for aggravated child abuse then transported to the Morgan County Jail.

“Child abuse is real and most times it takes someone to notice something and contact the police,” the department said in a statement. “The Hartselle Police Department is very grateful to the caller for bringing this matter to our attention.”