Sentencing has been delayed for a 34-year-old Dawsonville man convicted last week on eight counts of cruelty to children.

On Oct. 31, a Dawson County jury found John Gaston Baggett guilty of three counts of child cruelty in the first degree and five counts of third-degree cruelty to children. He remains in Dawson County Sheriff's custody.

According to court documents, the charges resulted from an incident that occurred between June and October 2011 on Coltrane Road in southwestern Dawson County. Baggett reportedly "grabbed a 7-year-old by the throat and threw her across the hood of the family's 1999 Ford Expedition."

Three juveniles witnessed the attack, which "meticulously caused cruel and excessive physical and mental pain" and caused the 7-year-old "to have difficulty breathing," according to court documents.

Court records show that the child pleaded with Baggett "to stop before finally releasing her."

Court personnel said this week that Baggett's sentencing by Superior Court Judge Andrew Fuller of the Northeastern Judicial Circuit will be at 1 p.m. Dec. 3.