9-year-old child videotapes assault on mother, calls police, sends father to prison. Here is what happened

A man in California was sentenced to four years in prison after his 9-year-old son video-recorded him beating his wife mercilessly and called the police. The District Court of Yuba County awarded Miguel Lazaro-Castillo the maximum sentence under the law for a felony, domestic violence, false imprisonment and misdemeanor child abuse. According to a statement issued by the Yuba County District Attorney’s Office, the harrowing incident was reported on the morning of October 9, when the Yuba County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call from one of Lazaro-Castillo’s children. When deputies raced to the family’s home, they found Lazaro-Castillo sitting on top of his wife, who was lying face-down on a floor littered with blood-soaked napkins.

Child videotapes assault

The couple’s three children, ages 9, 14 and 15, were at home at the time of the incident. The deputies learned that Lazaro-Castillo's youngest child had videotaped the mother’s brutal assault. The recording reportedly showed the man repeatedly jabbing his wife in the face and head. When one of his daughters tried to protect her mother from the blows by shielding the woman with her hands, she was reportedly slapped on the leg. Lazaro-Castillo flipped his wife over onto her stomach and pressed her face into the carpet "for an extended amount of time."

Lazaro-Castillo arrested

The 38-year-old man initially denied abusing his wife and claimed "he had no idea where all the blood had come from." But later it emerged that Lazaro-Castillo, his wife and one of their underage children were intoxicated. He was arrested and his three children were placed into protective custody. The District Attorney's Office said, "Despite Lazaro-Castillo not having a prior criminal record, he received the maximum sentence for felony domestic violence based on the brutality of his actions and his utter disregard for his children."

FAQs:

How was Lazaro-Castillo arrested?
Lazaro-Castillo was arrested after his 9-year-old son videotaped the assault on his mother and called the police. When the deputies reached his home, the 38-year-old man was found sitting on top of his wife, who was lying face-down on a floor littered with blood-soaked napkins.

How was the man sentenced?
The deputies learned that Lazaro-Castillo's youngest child had videotaped the mother’s brutal assault. The recording reportedly showed the man repeatedly jabbing his wife in the face and head.