A 6-year-old boy was left with bruises on his chest, after his father beat him with a belt, according to court records.
The 28-year-old father is charged with physical abuse of a child, an offense for which he could serve seven years in prison, if convicted. The man is not being named, to protect the identity of his son.
Racine police were called to Fratt School on Feb. 3, after a staff member said the boy was complaining of chest pain and reported being abused by his father. The investigator could see bruises and scrapes on the boys chest, cheek, thigh and back, including at least one bruise consistent with being hit with a belt buckle.
The boy said he had been “whooped” for his behavior at school.
The boy’s father told police that the school contacted him about the child’s behavior, and that when the boy was dropped off at his house, he told the boy he was going to get a whooping. He said the boy ran off, so he chased him, sent him to the corner, and struck him several times.
The father estimated he hit the boy between 10 and 12 times with his belt, and said the boy ended up “balled up” with his hands up to block the belt.
He used a 3-foot-long belt, according to the criminal complaint, and said that he knew he might get into trouble for this incident, after discussing it with his mother and the boy’s mother.
When asked what he could improve on as a parent, the man said he could “stop whoopin’ ’em,” the complaint states.
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