Dad punches 6-year-old son in the face during court-ordered visitation (Bethlehem, Pennsylvania)

What happens rountinely to children when violent fathers are given unsupervised visitation and responsibility for child care....

Dad is identified as MIGUEL ANGEL MENDEZ.

http://bethlehem.patch.com/articles/police-father-punched-son-6-when-he-peed-in-tub

Police: Father Punched Son, 6, When He Peed in Tub

South Bethlehem man now facing child endangerment charge after boy was brought to hospital with a black eye, according to court records.

By Daryl Nerl

A 6-year-old Bethlehem boy told city police that his father got angry with him after he peed in the bathtub and punched him in the face three times, according to court papers.

As a result, Miguel Angel Mendez, 34, of 625 Aaron St., is being held in prison on multiple charges.

Bethlehem police were first alerted to the situation on Monday after receiving a report from Lehigh Valley Hospital – Muhlenberg that a 6-year-old boy had been brought to the emergency room with bruises on his face, court records say.

Police responding to the hospital reported that the boy had purplish bruising around his left eye and the boy’s mother told officers that her son said his father – Mendez – had punched him in the face multiple times.

On Tuesday, police interviewed mother and son and obtained the following details, which were described in the arrest affidavit:

•The mother dropped the boy off at the father’s home at 6:30 p.m. Friday and picked him up 12:30 p.m. Sunday under the terms of a custody agreement.

•The boy told police: “My dad got mad with me because I peed in the tub while taking a bath.” He said Mendez punched him in the face three times. He said: “He was scared of his father.”

•Police obtained a picture of a text message to the boy’s mother from Mendez, which said: “I did smack [him] in the mouth and that’s all.”

Mendez was charged with endangering the welfare of children, simple assault and harassment. He was arraigned Wednesday before District Judge Patricia Romig-Passaro and committed to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $15,000 bail.