A man who was captured on camera allegedly slapping an autistic boy after the 10-year-old touched the man's Mercedes Benz vehicle in Pacoima, is now facing criminal charges, the boy's family attorney confirmed Monday.
The Los Angeles City Attorney's Office charged Scott Sakajian, a Sun Valley resident, with willful cruelty to a child and battery on a person after the video of him slapping Alfredo Morales was released earlier this month.
Sakajian Slapped the Boy After He Touched the Car's Hood Ornament
On July 1, Morales, and his older sister were crossing the street at Laurel Canyon Boulevard and Osbourne Street when the boy reached out and touched the emblem on the man's Mercedes-Benz sedan.
The man made an immediate U-turn and followed the two siblings to a bus stop where he pulled over. That's when he walked over to Alfredo who was sitting on a bench and slapped him.
His sister, who was heard apologizing, tried to intervene, but the man was still able to strike the boy. Video footage of the incident instantly went viral on social media, sparking outrage among the online community.
The boy's father, Miguel Morales, said Alfredo has autism and often touches objects around him to explore his environment. The family filed a police report on the incident. A GoFundMe was set up for the Morales family, who are currently homeless after the boy's father lost his job at a restaurant, and amassed over $94,000 in donations.
Skajian Faces 6 Months in Jail
"I wouldn't say that I'm happy it's what's supposed to happen," Antonio Villegas, the attorney for the Morales family said. "Somebody who acts this way should have to answer in a criminal court."
Sakajian, who was scheduled to appear in court for an arraignment hearing on Aug. 2, now faces up to six months in jail.
