In re A.E.

FACTS

Father and Mother had A. in 2011, when they were 18- and 20-years old, respectively. They had been married since 2009 and recently moved to Los Angeles from Texas. On August 3, 2013, a neighbor reported hearing a child being hit or spanked. When Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies investigated, they observed two five to six inch long red welts on the back of A.’s right leg and several more red welts on her buttock. Father admitted he struck A. with his belt because she was misbehaving. Mother denied knowing anything about the welts, but stated she noticed Father spank A. on the buttock once with his bare hand that day. Mother considered spanking to be an appropriate form of discipline. Father was arrested for child abuse and held in custody. A. stayed home with Mother. In a statement to the police after his Miranda1 advisement, Father wrote, “My child was misbehaving[;] it was the fourth time in less than an hour. She kicked me, tried to hit me with the belt and I, as a father, had to discipline her after talking to her making her understand that such actions are not going to be tolerated, I disciplined my daughter not for sport or fun but so that one day just as I thank…