Dad sentenced for beating 9-year-old daughter over homework (Eagle Mountain, Utah)

Dads like ROBERT TUTTLE always seem to plea down and get away with it. Had he started beating somebody on the street with a belt, it would have been a felony assault. But this was prosecuted as misdemeanor child abuse (one month in jail), with a little useless "mental health evaluation" and fine thrown in for kicks. Where was the mother when this guy was swinging at his two daughters?

INVISIBLE MOTHER ALERT.

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/50552678-76/tuttle-belt-daughter-abuse.html.csp

Father sentenced for beating daughter over homework
By stephen hunt

The Salt Lake Tribune

Published Oct 27, 2010 02:18PM
Updated 1 minute ago Updated Oct 27, 2010 03:56PM

A 40-year-old Eagle Mountain man who beat his 9-year-old daughter with a belt for failing to turn in her homework at school was sentenced Wednesday to 30 days in jail.

As part of Robert Tuttle’s sentence, 4th District Judge Claudia Laycock gave him the option of doing 240 hours of community service or participate in the work diversion program in lieu of jail time.

Tuttle, 40, was initially charged in 4th District Court with second-degree felony child abuse for the Feb. 28 attack.

He pleaded guilty to a lesser count of class A misdemeanor child abuse.

He struck his daughter with a belt at least 10 times, leaving a number of bruises and welts on her body, according to police, who said the girl did not require medical treatment. When the girl’s 10-year-old sister attempted to intervene, the father reportedly took a swing at her, just missing her head. When interviewed by Utah County deputies, Tuttle purportedly defended using a belt as a form of discipline.

As part of a 36-month probation, Laycock ordered Tuttle to pay a $1,173 fine and obtain a mental health evaluation.