Dad charged with abusing 9-year-old son (Clarksville, Tennessee)

While dad JOHN RICHARD BARKLEY JR. was "allegedly" dragging his 9-year-old son away from the dinner table by hair on his head, where was Mom? There is no mention. Is this a single dad? Though it's not unheard of for moms to abuse their children in this way, this aggressive show of strength is more typical of dads and other male "caretakers."

INVISIBLE MOTHER ALERT.

http://www.theleafchronicle.com/article/20101124/NEWS01/101124011/Clarksville-father-charged-with-child-abuse

Clarksville father charged with child abuse
By TAVIA D. GREEN • The Leaf-Chronicle • November 24, 2010

A Clarksville father was arrested after he allegedly injured his 9-year-old by dragging him by his hair, according to a Clarksville Police report.

At 9:15 p.m. Tuesday the 9-year-old son of John Barkey, Jr., reported his father grabbed him by the back of the neck while he was sitting at the dinner table and dragged him out of his chair and away from table, according to a Clarksville Police report.

The boy was pinned to the ground in the kitchen and then dragged back to the table by his hair, the report said.

The police did observe visible signs of injury on the boy, the report said.

John Richard Barkey Jr., 34, who gave a 324 Bancroft Court address, was charged with one count of a child abuse/neglect. His bond was set at $9,000. He bonded out today.