A Wonder Lake man was arrested after he allegedly punched, slapped and threw a 7-year-old special needs child to the ground, leaving him injured, for wearing the wrong pants.
Kyle S. McCullough, 31, of Wonder Lake, was charged with aggravated battery to a child under 13, a Class 3 felony, and two counts of domestic battery, a Class A misdemeanor.
A criminal complaint filed in McHenry County Circuit Court alleges McCullough used a closed fist to punch a 7-year-old boy in the abdomen last Monday.
The punch left a mark and McCullough also slapped the boy’s face, leaving red discoloration that was still visible a day later, the complaint said.
The complaint said McCullough additionally slapped the back of the boy’s head, causing him to fall onto the asphalt.
McCullough also scratched the side of the boy’s torso, leaving visible scratch marks, the complaint said.
Court documents said McCullough threw the victim, who has special needs, to the ground, punched him in the stomach and slapped him in the face because the boy wore the wrong pair of pants.
The child’s injuries were observed by school staff and he also complained of a sore neck from McCullough throwing him.
Court documents said McCullough tried to manipulate the situation by instructing the child to lie about what happened and say that he tripped.
McCullough did not deny the abuse and said that while he slapped the victim, he “didn’t remember that one” when asked about the punch, court documents said.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and arrested McCullough.
The McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain McCullough pending trial and McHenry County Judge Cynthia Lamb granted the petition following a hearing.
The judge said there are no conditions of release that the court could impose to protect the victim from the danger that McCullough poses.
McCullough is scheduled to appear in court again on June 10 for a preliminary hearing.