A 47-year-old man in Indiana was arrested after allegedly assaulting his intellectually disabled son because the 20-year-old lost his glasses. After the incident, the father reportedly told authorities, “What happens in my house, stays in my house.” He was charged with a felony count of battery against a person with a mental or physical handicap.
Authorities responded to a report at a career center regarding an alleged battery that had taken place earlier that morning. A staff member at the center stated that the 20-year-old victim confided in them about the incident. According to the victim, his father became extremely upset and struck him multiple times in the head as punishment for misplacing his glasses.
Documents from the school confirmed that the young man had been diagnosed with a moderate intellectual disability and was unable to read or write. He recounted that his father yelled at him in frustration before punching a hole in the wall near the kitchen door. The alleged attack continued as the father slapped the victim twice on each side of his face.
The victim further stated that the abuse did not stop at home. While driving him to school, his father remained angry, grabbed the back of his head, and pulled him forcefully. While no visible injuries were immediately noted by responding officers, the young man’s face had a natural redness, and he expressed that his head still hurt from the slaps.
Law enforcement officers later went to the suspect’s home and knocked loudly, but no one answered. Knowing that he was scheduled to pick up his son, officers waited nearby and initiated a traffic stop once he left the residence.
When questioned, the suspect admitted to taking his son’s phone and keys because he was upset about the lost glasses. When asked whether he had punched a hole in the wall, he initially denied hitting his children but later admitted to striking the wall out of anger. He acknowledged having a temper problem but continued to deny physically assaulting his son at home or in the vehicle.
Authorities asked why the victim would report the incident if it hadn’t happened, to which the father simply responded that they often had disagreements. At that point, officers ordered him out of the vehicle and placed him under arrest.
While being transported to jail, the suspect allegedly made multiple unprompted statements, including the remark, “I’ve told him many times that what happens in my house, stays in my house.”
He was later released on a $5,000 bond. It remains unclear when he is scheduled to appear in court for his initial hearing.
