'How else am I supposed to discipline them?' man accused of choking child asks police

SANTAQUIN — A 36-year-old Santaquin man was arrested and accused of abusing two young children by choking them, slapping them and holding each child over a river.

Jason James Quigley was booked into the Utah County Jail Sunday night for investigation of two counts of aggravated child abuse, obstruction of justice, two counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child while threatening injury or death, two counts of child abuse, two more counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child and public intoxication.

The affidavit does not state whether the children are boys or girls, nor the relationship between Quigley and the children.

On Sunday, police were called to a residence in Santaquin after a 9-year-old child had run to a neighbor's home to report they had been assaulted by Quigley, according to a police booking affidavit.

"The child reported that Jason was actively assaulting and choking a 5-year-old child at the residence," the affidavit states.

When officers arrived at the residence, they asked Quigley about allegedly strangling a child.

"How else am I supposed to discipline them? What am I supposed to do, spank them until they're bloody?" Quigley replied, according to the affidavit.

Jason admitted that he had "consumed multiple containers of alcohol," police stated. Police found the 5-year-old hiding under a bed in the residence.

"Both children disclosed that Jason had been upset with them because Jason believed they had stolen a cellphone. The children said that Jason had driven them up a canyon before he held each child over a river for a period of time. The children said that Jason stated he was 'testing them,' and told both children that he had other 'backup plans,'" the affidavit states.

After returning to Quigley's Santaquin residence, "the children said that Jason had slapped the 9-year-old across the face before gripping the child by the neck. Jason lifted the 9-year-old from the ground and held them in the air by their neck. The 9-year-old was then released and ran from the residence," the affidavit states. "Both children reported that Jason had told them he had 'backup plans' while assaulting and choking them. Both children were extremely distressed and emotional."

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