Haddox allegedly used a wooden paddle to spank the boy the night of Dec. 12 because he refused to eat the dinner his father had prepared — Liver and onions, according to Bellefontaine police.
The child’s mother, 24-year-old Cassandra Haddox, who was arrested on a complicity charge, told investigators her husband gave the boy five minutes to eat his dinner or else he would be disciplined, according to the police report.
The mother told police Steven Haddox paddled the boy every five minutes he didn’t eat, adding a swat after each allotted time period, according to the report.
The victim told authorities he recalled being struck 30 to 40 times by the paddle, according to the police report.
Authorities said there were visible bruises left by the paddle and the victim didn’t want to sit down because of the pain.
The judge set bond at $50,000 for Steven Haddox, who is due to return to court Tuesday morning.