Police: Man spanks child petting cat

Posted: 4:46 p.m. Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Police: Man spanks child petting cat



By Mike Petchenik

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. —

A Suwanee man faces charges after, police said, he spanked a child at a veterinarian's office.

Johns Creek police arrested Russell Baughcum, 42, Monday afternoon at the Johns Creek Vet Clinic on Medlock Bridge Road. He's facing a simple battery charge.

According to a police report obtained by Channel 2's Mike Petchenik, witnesses said a 4-year-old boy was trying to pet Baughcum's cat, which just had surgery. The report said the boy's mother told police she was having a hard time controlling her son, and that Baughcum told the boy not to touch the animal, but he wasn't listening. It said the boy nearly pulled the cat's carrier off a chair. The report said Baughcum "struck" the boy on his backside.


Baughcum told police he "struck him lightly on his lower back and buttocks," and that contact was "light enough that he didn't think the child knew he had been touched."

Fulton County Jail officials told Petchenik that Baughcum left the jail Tuesday morning after posting $1,000 bond. Petchenik tried to reach Baughcum at his home, but nobody answered the door.

Parents at a nearby park had plenty of opinions about the allegations and the arrest.

"He should learn that physical violence is not the answer," said Abby Lauderman. "If he had a problem, he should go talk to the parent.”

Parent Eddie Gonzales told Petchenik he believes the arrest and charges were warranted.

"It doesn’t sound like the little kid was doing anything wrong," said Gonzales. "He was curious about the cat and obviously, the guy overreacted.”

The report said the boy's mother told police she was having a hard time controlling her son, and that Baughcum told the boy not to touch the animal, but he wasn't listening. It said the boy nearly pulled the cat's carrier off a chair. The report said Baughcum "struck" the boy on his backside.


Baughcum told police he "struck him lightly on his lower back and buttocks," and that contact was "light enough that he didn't think the child knew he had been touched."

"It doesn’t sound like the little kid was doing anything wrong," said Gonzales. "He was curious about the cat and obviously, the guy overreacted.”

CeCe wrote:

It wasn't that much of an overreaction on the man's part. He shouldn't have struck the kid. But the article states the little brat almost pulled the carrier off the chair. Mom needs to work on her parenting skills. If she can't control a 4 year old what is she gonna do in about 10 years? When I started reading this I thought it was going to be some asshole bully thing. But it sounds like it was really just one of those in the moment reflex reactions. I don't give a damn how curious the kid is. He has to learn he can't touch or grab everything that interests him. This is 100% mom's fault. The cat had just had surgery. The carrier bouncing off onto the floor might have seriously injured it. That's probably what flashed though the guy's mind when the kid almost pulled the carrier off. He shouldn't have to "go talk to the parent." She should have gotten up & controlled her kid.

"If he had a problem, he should go talk to the parent.”