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December 8, 2006

Dad suspected of beating son, 7, for refusing to play video game

A Pueblo father is in jail for allegedly beating his 7-year-old son with a belt for refusing to play a video game with him.

Markus Ellsworth French, 27, was arrested Monday on suspicion of intimidating a victim or witness, domestic violence, two counts of child abuse and menacing with a deadly weapon.

Last week, personnel at French's son's school and a school resource officer questioned the boy about bruises on his legs and chest. The boy said he had run into a branch at a park, according to a report by Pueblo police officer Marvin Billings.

The boy had given his mother the same explanation, until a few days ago, when he admitted that his father had beaten him with a belt while she worked on the weekend of Nov. 25.

Enraged, the boy's mother told French to move out. He allegedly threatened to beat her, or have gang associates harm her if she called police, according to the affidavit.

Since she had confronted French, he kept a close watch on the woman, scarcely allowing her to leave their North Side residence, she told police.

On Monday morning, under the guise of driving their 7-year-old son to school, she drove to a pay phone and called police.

Officers found French at the couple's residence, where he was alone with their 11-month-old son. The woman told police she was reluctant to leave the infant behind with French, but had to in order to call 911.

When police arrived, they found French unsteady on his feet and wreaking of alcohol, with an open beer on a highchair. He sipped from the beer as police spoke with him, Billings reported.

After French's arrest, police interviewed his 7-year-old son. The boy admitted he had lied to the school resource officer about the cause of his bruises. Then he told police that his father began “whooping” him after he refused to continue playing video games with French.

French faces two counts of child abuse - one for the alleged beating of his son, and another for allegedly being intoxicated while he cared for the infant. He remained in jail late Tuesday in lieu of $50,000 bail.

By NICK BONHAM
THE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN

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