Grown man slaps 10-year-old with autism in the face because boy bent Mercedes-Benz emblem on his car: Cops

Angry Benz driver

Left: The Morales family (GoFundMe). Right: Screenshot of the suspect slapping a 10-year-old boy with autism (RMG News).

A California family expressed outrage that the man who slapped their 10-year-old boy with autism may not serve any jail time.

Video depicting the incident went viral online and led to the arrest of Scott Sakajian. The Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office charged Sakajian with willful cruelty to a child and battery on a person.

The incident happened on July 3 near Laurel Canyon Boulevard and Osborne Street in the Pacoima neighborhood of Los Angeles. Alfredo Morales, 10, and his older sister were crossing the street when Alfredo bent the emblem on a stopped Mercedes-Benz before walking away.

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According to local CW affiliate KTLA, the driver later identified as Sakajian turned the car around and followed Alfredo and his sister to a bus stop. He pulled over and got out of his car. Alfredo’s sister is seen and heard on the video apologizing and explaining in Spanish that her brother has autism and didn’t mean any harm — but Sakajian apparently wasn’t having any of it. That’s when the video allegedly showed Sakajian slapping Alfredo.

Sakajian’s attorney filed a motion with the court requesting pretrial diversion as opposed to jail time. This did not sit well with Alfredo’s family.