Anthony Sanchez, CA Official Caught Whipping Stepson After Playing Catch, Says He Did Nothing Illegal
Anthony Sanchez, a California water official, became unwittingly internet famous when a clip a horrified neighbor shot of him whipping his stepson for poor baseball skills during an abuse-laden game of “catch” went viral, and the former state worker was charged with felony child abuse.
Anthony Sanchez’s actions were certainly jarring, upsetting and arguably immoral based on the tape alone, but the footage again raises old questions as to whether spanking or any variant thereof is child abuse, discipline, or somewhere in between — and what happens to the parents and children that fall into the gray area of Someone Else’s Ideas About Parenting.
The clip of Anthony Sanchez whipping the child during the outdoor baseball practice was filmed by neighbor Oscar Lopez, who can be heard in the background taking Sanchez to task for his cruelty. In the video, Lopez challenges:
“That’s enough. I’m having a (expletive) problem with you for beating the (expletive) out of him because he won’t catch the damn ball.”
When Sanchez fires back asking if Lopez knows his son, Lopez replies:
“I don’t know your son but I’m watching you. I’m a (expletive) father too. Why don’t you come over here and teach me?”
The clip, below, is clearly judgment most of us would not exercise as parents. But is it criminal? A felony? A lawyer for Sanchez, Ryan Childers, doesn’t deny the accusations — a fruitless endeavor it would be, as the incident was not only caught on tape, and viewed internationally — but says that not only is it legal in California to spank, it’s legal to spank with objects:
“This was discipline as a result of behavior during a game of catch, and that’s all it was… It’s not illegal to spank a child, and it’s not illegal to do it with something other than your hand.”
The issue of spanking and permissible physical discipline indeed seems to be muddied, as the Sanchez case illustrates. It seems that while you or I may see the actions as not our choice to parent, if they are not explicitly or reasonably assumed to be harmful to a child or illegal, far more parents could find themselves facing a judge for similar, and still common, parenting infractions.
[Image courtesy of NBC-11]
Tags : Anthony Sanchez Arrested, Anthony Sanchez Beats Stepson, Anthony Sanchez Child Abuse, California Crime, child abuse, El Centro California, felony child abuse, Stepfather Whips Son Baseball, Stepfather Whips Son Baseball Video
Posted: July 11, 2012
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Jul 11, 2012
I think that with out audio from the kid and Sanchez, it could be taken out of context. However with that being said, I do believe that spanking a kid for not catching the ball the way you want does seem excessive. I mean, yeah sure if he threw the ball and hit the guy in the face on purpose, bust his butt but don't spank him each time you throw the ball because he didn't catch it the "proper" way the first time. That to me speaks abuse.
Jul 11, 2012
Bad, just wrong on in any level
Jul 11, 2012
I wasn't above a spanking as a last resort for my kids, but it was a LAST RESORT! Not over anything like not catching the ball, either. When they were little, a sharp "No!" had the right effect and, at worst, accompanied by ONE hand to the butt. My children aren't 'damaged' and both considerate, respectful, hard working and well liked by people. Discipline is one thing, abuse is something else; the difference usually lies within the parent who hasn't the maturity to separate knee-jerk emotions from the relative importance of the situation. So, he can't catch the ball – try swimming; he got two warnings to stop throwing the ball in the house and broke a lamp – a couple of hand smacks on the butt and put in the corner for a 1/2 hour is NOT abuse.
Jul 11, 2012
Than male object who thinks he is a father is no man or father! Im glad he got charged and lost his job! And to the man and father
Who said something I do believe he is a hero!
Jul 11, 2012
If parents are disciplining a child in a loving and responsible way, sometimes a swat gets their attention. It appears that we are comparing apples to oranges. Whipping a child because they are struggling with a behavior or because a parent is angry, even if the child has done something very wrong, is inexcusable. This is not "spanking." This is abuse. The problem with a lot of kids is they either get way too much negative parental response or they get no discipline and correction at all. So we end up with angry adults who perpetuate the same heinous abuse on their kids or totally irresponsible and entitled adults.
Jul 11, 2012
PEOPLE!!!! He is SPANKING the kid for NOT having baseball skills?!?! What the hell does he do when the kid spills his milk or drops a plate or gets a C in school?
Jul 11, 2012
Spanking is okay when its necessary -this was not necessary. Secondly, he is not even the kid's dad he is his step-dad. What mother allows a step dad to do that to her child and wait til the biological father finds out if he is in a place he can find out about it. Not all boys can play baseball and obviously this step-father doesn't realize that. The poor kid was probably scared to death and couldn't even function after that. He will never want to play sports thinking that's the outcome if you are not good. I am glad the neighbor stepped up and said something – I be that scared the bejesus out of the step-dad – like oh crap someone saw me. So now the real question? what other things has this man spanked this kid for. Discipline is okay in the right context, but now we have parents killing their kids cuz they took a popsicle or can't throw a ball or didn't eat their veggies. What has this world come to?
Jul 11, 2012
This is not discipline in any shape or form. It's straight up abuse. If he is doing this outside the house where people can see, it really makes me wonder what the hell he does to the kid behind closed doors. I sure as hell don't have any sympathy for anything that happens to him. My son is 9 and learning how to play baseball now. We just keep encouraging him. Acting like this would only make a kid hate the sport completely.
Jul 11, 2012
if he spanked him over playing poorly that's the dumbest thing I've heard of.. spankings are to be the last resort. Plus he is using a belt this is clearly abuse. I would have Called the poilce as I was taping.
Jul 11, 2012
SPANKING IS OK WHEN DONE WITH YOUR HAND AND NOT FOR ANYTHING AS STUPID AS A BALL NOT BEING CAUGHT! I SAY THROW THE BOOK AT HIM! WHAT A LOOSER! AND WHERE THE HELL IS THE MOM!
Jul 11, 2012
I'm glad that kid had a neighbor to defend him, I wish I would have…
Jul 11, 2012
Legal? Who cares? That's INSANE
Jul 11, 2012
I just don't get it. It is illegal to hit anyone else in the world except your children – does that make any sense to anyone?
No, he should not be hitting the child for any reason. He is in serious need of parenting skills.
Jul 11, 2012
Not one person in this world has the right to judge whether someone else spanks their child or not. Get over the holier than thou crap. 'Spare the rod, spoil the child' is true. Just look at many of the younger generation today. "I'm going to call CPS because you didn't buy me that new laptop." Or even the case where the girl kept bad-mouthing her parents on the internet and her dad shot her laptop with his shotgun. GO DAD! Discipline is a good thing and needs to be implemented!
Jul 12, 2012
Another idiot!! Grrrrrrr!!!!!
Jul 12, 2012
its child abuse someone should beat the man.
Jul 12, 2012
yeah…this is in my opinion excessive…i mean if the kid was being a smartass about it or disrespectful…maybe I could get there…MAYBE…but for not catching a ball? wtf? I personally (and privately rejoiced at the finding that my son was not an athlete..i wasnt… I didn't want any dude patting my ass and sure as hell didn't want to patt any other dude…sports are wrong period.
Jul 12, 2012
he'll be the dad who gets into a fight in stands at a little league game
Jul 12, 2012
Well, judging from how very screwed up so many of us are, I would say that someone better do something to prevent this kind of abuse from happening. I was an abused child, how about you? Sounds like you probably were and you think the best way to deal with it is to keep it going from generation to generation. If I don't like the way you play catch can I beat the crap out of you? Of course not. Picking on children who cannot defend themselves is not parenting, it is sadistic abuse. I have the right to judge whether you should spank your child or not. All of us have that right and more of us should use it. Like the poster below points out, why is it illegal to hit anyone else in the world except your children? Makes no sense. People who spank have no parenting skills whatsoever.
Jul 12, 2012
Really now? Tipical for more abuse to come….start charging this element!
Jul 12, 2012
hmmmm…can you say Parenting Class. Step Dad is demonstrating his lack of basic judgement.
Jul 12, 2012
He was wearing that boy out..
Jul 15, 2012
that's just wrong. maybe its not that childs skill to play baseball. god forbid.but for the step parent to be caring a belt or whatever hes using while out catching ball seems odd. makes a person wonder what goes on behind closed doors.