Charges: Man Punched Child To Teach Him 'How To Be A Man'
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A 37-year-old man has been charged with malicious punishment of a child after police say he punched his 13-year-old relative more than 20 times to teach him a lesson about "being a man."
Lakeville Police were called to a local gas station around 8:55 a.m. on May 22 to investigate a possible assault. Upon arrival, they found a 13-year-old boy who was crying and holding an ice pack on his shoulder. He also had scratches on his neck and chest.
An officer observed dark red marks on the child's arms, between his shoulder and elbow.
The child told police his relative who goes by the nickname "Che" had hit him more than 20 times with boxing gloves. Police identified "Che" as Aubiedee Che Spearman, of Lakeville.
The child said the incident occurred as he was getting ready for school. He said Spearman was upset by the clothing he was wearing so he made the boy change. He then followed him to school and cleaned out his locker before taking the boy back home.
Spearman then told the boy he was going to teach him "how to be a man." The child told police Spearman threw him against the wall, causing damage to the wall, then started hitting him with boxing gloves.
The boy said the incident lasted about 20 minutes before he was able to run away to the nearby gas station.
Police met with Spearman who was holding sparring gloves. Spearman told police he was just trying to teach the boy a lesson, like the one his uncle once taught him. He said he knows he will have to deal with the consequences of his actions.
If convicted, Spearman could face up to a year in prison or up to $3,000 in fines.
