Beating Of Autistic Teen May Lead To Charges

RIO LINDA (CBS13) -- A Sacramento County father said he wants authorities to investigate the beating of his autistic son after he was allegedly goaded into a fight.

John Todd said his 17-year-old son Christopher was attacked after another teen, who Chris had never met before, picked a fight in a field near a Rio Linda creek bed last week.

"Christopher doesn't fight. I don't think he's ever been in a fight," John said, adding that Chris is on the autism spectrum and has the mental development of about 6 to 8 years of age.

Chris typically befriends younger children and said he believed the aggressor only wanted to "play fight."

"All of a sudden he just started punching me," Chris said.

John said the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department initially told him that investigators don't respond to cases of "mutual combat," even though he believes the fight was "absolutely a case of bullying."

"They took advantage of Chris. Chris doesn't understand what was going on," he added.

A Sheriff's spokesperson told CBS13 late Friday night that detectives are now working on the incident and have identified a suspect, saying that charges may be filed.