A father in Florida is now facing child abuse charges after he allegedly beat his child for nearly half an hour over a missing couch cushion.
Police said the beating happened on December 7 in the Kissimmee area. The father, identified as Lance Eugene Rachel, had gotten angry because a couch cushion had been displaced. He accused the child of lying about the cushion and proceeded to strike him at least 50 times with a belt over the course of 30 minutes.
In a press release, police said Lance had also choked the child and called him "several disparaging names and obscenities." He was also accused of threatening to break the child's jaw at least once during the incident.
Police have declined to release the victim's age and identity. Officers did not provide any information on the child's condition following the beating.
Discovering the Crime
At the time of the beating, Kimberly Corene Rachel---the child's mother---had been present. However, she did not report the crime or attempt to intervene. Law enforcement officers were only made aware of the alleged abuse on December 11.
It was unclear who reported the incident to the Department of Children and Families and the police.
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Detectives who interviewed Rachel on Monday said he confirmed the beating happened and provided details about the abuse. Additionally, the beating was captured on the family's in-home surveillance cameras.
What Happens to the Couple?
Both Lance and Kimberly have since been arrested. Lance was charged with aggravated child abuse and battery by strangulation, online jail records showed. Kimberly is facing charges for failing to report known child abuse.
"Corporal punishment on your child is one thing, but child abuse and going too far is against the law," Osceola County Sheriff Marcos R. Lopez said in the press release.
Officers from the Osceola County Sheriff's Office are encouraging anyone with more information related to the case to contact them at (407) 348-2222.
If you suspect or witness child abuse, contact the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453). The hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All calls are confidential and anonymous.
