Man Charged With Beating Child With Belt In Auburn

AUBURN (CBS13) — A man has been charged with seriously abusing a child as a form of discipline.

An anonymous tip lead police to a home on Snowy Owl Way. Where a child was allegedly hit violently with a belt.

"The 11-year-old was struck several times by a belt. The suspect was ultimately arrested. It is not the biological father but he does live with the child," said Sgt. Tucker Huey with Auburn Police.

Jose Prieto, 33-year-old, was arrested and charged with felony cruel or inhumane corporal punishment.

Sgt. Huey says spanking children isn't illegal, but physically hurting them is.

"This was a situation where clearly it was too far," he said.

CBS13 spoke with many parents who say there's a grey area when discipline children.

Ryan McReynolds has two boys and says sports has taught his kids discipline, but says spanking is ok too.

"It's not to injure, I would feel bad if I spanked him actually hurt him or he had marks," he said.

It's an issue that has long plagued parents, a recent decades-long study found spanking kids actually make them more defiant.

Sgt. Huey said times are changing and many forms of punishment could be considered going too far now.

"Discipline that used to be handed out isn't always appropriate now, that's also not to say that all physical punishment is a crime, because it's not," he said.

Prieto is being held at the Placer County Detention Center, he declined to comment.