Four-year-old daughter: Dad pointed a gun at mom (West Palm Beach, Florida)

This is a classic abuser tactic: threatening to shoot the mother in order to frighten her into letting him control who she speaks to and isolate her from any sources of emotional support. It just so happens that Daddy pulled the gun in front of their 4-year-old daughter, and the daughter spoke out in school. Brave girl.

Dad is identified as JOSE ISABEL MARTINEZ-DIAZ.

http://www.wpbf.com/news/south-florida/Palm-Beach-County-News/Girl-4-tells-investigators-dad-pointed-gun-at-mom/-/8815578/17678686/-/5ddoj4z/-/index.html

Girl, 4, tells investigators dad pointed gun at mom
Jose Isabel Martinez-Diaz faces multiple charges

UPDATED 12:25 PM EST Dec 06, 2012

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A West Palm Beach man is under arrest, accused of pointing a gun at the mother of his two children, WPBF 25 News reported.

Palm Beach County deputies went to the home of Jose Isabel Martinez-Diaz on 17th Drive South on Sunday night. They had gotten a call from the Department of Children and Families, telling them that a 4-year-old girl told a social worker at her school that she watched her father put a gun to her mother's head, according to an arrest report.

The woman told the arresting deputies that her boyfriend was upset because she was talking to a female friend of whom he doesn't approve. "You need to watch how you speak to me and be careful of what you do," Diaz said to her, according to the report.

"No, daddy, don't do that to mommy," is what the girl told her father, the report said.

The woman told deputies she didn't call 911 and hasn't left Diaz because "times are tough" and she's in fear of her boyfriend, adding that he helps watch the kids, the report said.

When questioned by deputies, the man said the gun was fake and that he was just waving it around, not putting it next to the woman's head.

Diaz is charged with child endangerment and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.