Dad accused of beating 4-year-old son (Torrington, Connecticut)

Notice that Mom found out about the beating by telephone.

Was Daddy babysitting, or was this court-ordered visitation? Not explained.

Dad is identified as CHARLES PERRY.

http://www.registercitizen.com/articles/2013/05/13/news/doc5191627ba2f49826056463.txt

Torrington dad accused of beating 4-year-old son
Published: Monday, May 13, 2013

By Jessica Glenza

BANTAM

A Torrington father accused of striking his 4-year-old son in the head and back with a leather belt is facing felony risk of injury to a minor and misdemeanor assault charges.

Charles Perry, 23, 92 Cookes Ridge, Torrington, told police he struck the child after the 4-year-old strangled two of the man’s four pet rats.

According to a sworn statement from Perry, he left his 4-year-old son inside for between 30 and 45 minutes while Perry went outside to work on his car in the driveway. When Perry went inside to check on the toddler, he saw two of his four pet rats were dead, and that he believed the boy had strangled them.

Perry said he asked the 4-year-old, “What did you do?” The boy responded, “I don’t know.”

According to Perry’s arrest affidavit, he told police, “He lost it and slapped [the boy] on the side of his head. (The boy) began crying and Perry kept asking him ‘What did he do?’ (the boy) kept saying he didn’t know. Perry said he took his leather belt off placed (the boy) on the bed and struck (the boy) two to three times on his bottom.”

The boy’s mother, however, found a red mark on the boy’s back and a bruise behind his right ear. The boy’s mother also said that Perry called her immediately after the incident, saying he’d hit the boy twice on the head and once on the back with the belt.

A public defender has since been appointed to represent Perry, whose bond was set at $30,000. Perry is scheduled to appear in Bantam Superior Court on June 6.