Grand jury indicts man over assault of 8-year-old daughter (Frederick, Maryland)

Utterly stupid headline. What dad DANIEL M. NOGALES did wasn't "discipline." Discipline is explaining right from wrong, and withdrawing privileges or grounding the child to prove the point. This was an assault. This little girl was repeatedly hit with a belt and developed a bloody nose. Her back, side, and legs were thoroughly bruised. And she was threatened with with further torture: that Daddy would cut out her tongue or cut off her fingers. This isn't "discipline." This is one sicko father getting his jollies.

INVISIBLE MOTHER ALERT: And where is Mom when all of this was taking place? Not a word.

http://www.wtop.com/?nid=25&sid=1984281

Grand jury indicts man over discipline of daughter
June 19, 2010 - 8:16am

A Frederick man who disciplined his 8-year-old daughter over allegations she stole a classmate's bracelet and a teacher's books is facing charges of second-degree child abuse and second-degree assault.

Frederick County State's Attorney Charlie Smith said a grand jury Friday indicted Daniel M. Nogales, 31, on the charges stemming from an investigation by sheriff's office Detective Daniel Romeril.

The girl told investigators who came to her school June 4 that her father hit her repeatedly on her back with a belt and bloodied her nose, Smith said.

"He told her that if she tells anyone, he would cut her tongue off, and that if she stole again, he would cut her fingers off," Smith said, reading from Romeril's charging documents.

The girl told authorities her father assaulted her about 5:30 p.m. June 3.

More than 17 hours later, a deputy and a Child Protective Services representative photographed bruises to the girl's back, side and legs consistent with being hit by a belt.

During questioning June 4, Nogales admitted to striking his child with a belt to teach her a lesson for continual behavior problems at school, court documents state.

Romeril wrote that Nogales told him what happened with his daughter hurt him more than it did his child.

Nogales said he hit her four times and told Romeril, "I know she felt at least two of them." He also admitted hitting her mouth with an open hand, causing her nose to bleed.

He denied threatening to cut out his daughter's tongue or slice off her fingers. Instead, he said he told her that's what happened to liars and thieves "in the olden days."

If convicted, Nogales could be sentenced to 15 years on the child abuse charge and 10 years for assault.

The indictment forwards the case against Nogales to Circuit Court. No trial date has been set.

On June 4, the same day he was arrested, Nogales was released from jail after posting $35,000 bail, according to court documents.