Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
- A West Valley man faces charges of aggravated child abuse against his son.
- The abuse allegedly occurred from ages 13 to 17, involving physical harm, police say.
- Prosecutors seek to detain the father without bail pending trial.
WEST VALLEY CITY — A West Valley man is facing criminal charges accusing him of physically abusing his teenage son for years.
The 56-year-old father was charged Monday in 3rd District Court with four counts of aggravated child abuse, a second-degree felony. KSL.com is not currently naming the man to protect the identity of the teen victim who is now living with other family members.
From the time the boy was 13 until 17, his father committed acts of abuse, including hitting his son "in the head with a board containing a nail, causing (the boy's) head to bleed," kicking the teen "in the face with a steel-toed boot, causing (the boy's) nose to bleed incessantly, and potentially to be broken," hitting the teen "in the back with a broomstick, leaving welts," and hitting the boy "numerous times with sticks, belts and other objects," according to charging documents.
A witness told police that one time in 2024, the father pinned his son down and punched him "angrily," resulting in "a black eye and cuts on his face when they were in middle school. On (another) occasion, (the teen) confided (to his friend that his father) had smashed (his) head into a brick wall and hit him with a wooden board that had nails sticking out of it," charging documents allege.
The alleged abuse was reported in early March. When questioned, the teen told police that "when (he) either did not complete his chores or did them incorrectly, (his father) 'beat him around,'" and threw objects at him, starting when he was approximately 13 years old, the charges state.
When the boy was 16, the father was accused of punching him in the face because "he had not done the dishes correctly," according to charging documents, and later hitting the boy with a broomstick because he felt he "had not completed his chores correctly."
Prosecutors have requested that the father be held in the Salt Lake County Jail without the possibility of posting bail pending trial.
Child abuse resources:
- Utah Domestic Violence Coalition operates a confidential statewide, 24-hour domestic abuse hotline at 1-800-897-LINK (5465). Resources are also available online: udvc.org. The statewide child abuse and neglect hotline is 1-855-323-DCFS (3237).
Help with Children
Those who feel stressed out with a child, who need a break or who feel like they need counseling or training can reach out to one of the following agencies:
- The Family Support Center has 15 locations throughout the state and offers a free crisis nursery for parents who have to keep appointments or who are stressed out. They also offer counseling and family mentoring. Call 801-955-9110 or visit familysupportcenter.org/contact.php for more information.
- Prevent Child Abuse Utah provides home visiting in Weber, Davis, and Box Elder counties. Parent Educators provide support, education, and activities for families with young children. Their statewide education team offers diverse trainings on protective factors, digital safety, bullying, and child sex trafficking. They are available for in-person or virtual trainings and offer free online courses for the community at pcautah.org.
- The Office of Home Visiting works with local agencies to provide home visits to pregnant women and young families who would like to know more about being parents. Home visitors are trained and can provide information about breastfeeding, developmental milestones, toilet training, nutrition, mental health, home safety, child development, and much more. Find out more at homevisiting.utah.gov.
- The Safe Haven law allows birth parents in Utah to safely and anonymously give up custody of their newborn child at any hospital in the state, with no legal consequences and no questions asked. The child's mother can drop off the child, or the mother can ask someone else to do it for her. The newborns should be dropped off at hospitals that are open 24 hours a day. Newborns given up in this manner will be cared for by the hospital staff, and the Utah Division of Child and Family Services will find a home for the child. For more information, visit utahsafehaven.org or call the 24-hour hotline at 866-458-0058.
