SANDY — A Sandy father is facing felony criminal charges accusing him of making his children collect sticks in the yard to be used for "disciplining" them, and instead using a metal rod because their sticks weren't big enough.
Sateki Mosaati Nau, Sr., 40, was charged Friday in 3rd District Court with two counts of aggravated child abuse, a first-degree felony, and prohibited conduct with a weapon, a third-degree felony.
Sandy police were recently called to investigate a possible child abuse situation involving two brothers, ages 10 and 12. One boy told officers he was fighting his brother when their father, Nau, "told them to 'go pick up sticks to get hit with,'" according to charging documents.
The boys did as they were told, "but when they returned with twigs," Nau opted instead to use a metal rod to spank them, the chargers allege.
When questioned by police, "Nau said he struck each child three times and it was 'intended to teach his children respect and prevent public misbehavior.' Nau stated that he believed the discipline was 'necessary to correct their behavior,'" the charges state. "Nau also reported he is a frequent user of methamphetamine and stated he used the substance 'every other day.'"
Nau also had a gun in a holster on his hip when officers arrived, which police say is illegal due to his drug use, according to the charges.
"(Nau's) short fuse and methamphetamine use put the victims in this case in danger. The victims described pain when they were being struck and said they cried," prosecutors wrote in their charges. "The victims' mother reported that (Nau) told her 'he can discipline how he wants' and when (he) was questioned regarding his methods, stated the beating was necessary to correct their behavior."
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