RICHMOND, IN — Richmond police say a local man used a wooden plank to beat his girlfriend’s 7-year-old daughter.
Erik D. Barcelo, 46, was charged on Monday, May 18, with battery on a person less than 14 years of age, a Level 6 felony carrying up to 30 months in prison.
According to an affidavit, police on May 5 were called to an address along Southwest Third Street to assist the state Department of Child Services in removing four children — ages 15 to 7 — from the home.
DCS officials had been informed by Fairview Elementary School personnel that the youngest of the children had bruises on her hands and her left thigh.
The court document said Barcelo used the plank — which members of the household referred to as “Mr. Slappy” — to discipline the youngest girl, causing her “pain and bruising,” after being told she was disrespectful to teachers at school.
Investigators learned the child also had bruising on her buttocks.
School officials reported all four girls indicated they were afraid of Barcelo. Their mother — who said she had shared a home with Barcelo for about three years — was reportedly not at home when the beating took place.
The mother told investigators she believed Barcelo had been “gentle” with her daughters but said he had recently been under stress.
Barcelo told police he had struck the child with the plank four times and “did not mean to hit her hard.”
He said he had only recently started physically disciplining the children because they were “disrespectful.”
He denied an allegation he at times had used a belt rather than “Mr. Slappy.”
Barcelo was released from custody after posting a $750 bond at the Wayne County Jail. A bench trial in the Wayne Superior Court 1 case has been scheduled for July 24.
Court records reflect no prior charges against the Richmond man.
Douglas Walker is a news reporter at The Star Press. Contact him at 765-213-5851 or at dwalker@muncie.gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Police: Richmond man used wooden plank to beat girlfriend’s child
Reporting by Douglas Walker, Richmond Palladium-Item / Muncie Star Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
