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Bible Belt father faces charges for spanking daughter with leather waist strap

Filed under: Health & Safety: Babies, Development/Milestones: Babies, Media

Last Friday, police in Coral Springs, Florida responded to a call about a 12-year-old girl who was reportedly panhandling outside of a Walgreens in Port St. Lucie. When questioned, she told the officers that she'd run away from home because her caretakers had beat her with a belt. This led to an investigation by the Department of Children and Families into the case, who determined that charges should be brought against her father, Michael Bilodeau, for child abuse. The officers found found numerous bruises and cuts on her legs, buttocks and back. "Based on the bruises on her body, they're in various stages of healing, which is evidence to us that this has been going on for some time," said Officer Robert Vega. "It's more than parental discipline; it's excessive, it's child abuse."

When confronted by police, Bilodeau used the old Bible defense. He claims the punishment was allowed because "it is stated in the Bible that it is OK to spank your children."

Three years ago, Bilodeau and his wife decided they couldn't take care of this daughter, so they sent her to live with a couple they were friends with. He made sure the friends had similar religious beliefs. He allowed them to punish her like he did: strip her naked, put her in an awkward position and strike her repeatedly with a belt or a stick, according to Bilodeau's arrest report. The punishments were handed down to the girl for not using proper English, not finishing her homework, lying, or "not accepting Jesus into her heart," police have said.

Because that's what Jesus would want, after all. Seems to me these nutters might have gotten a little too excited watching that subtitled S&M porn movie that Mel Gibson made a few years ago.

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Start by teaching him that it is safe to do so.