Inset: Martin Vaughn II (Maricopa County Sheriff's Office). Background: The Arizona elementary school where Martin Vaughn II's son allegedly told staff that his dad "keeps smacking me" (Google Maps).
A 7-year-old Arizona boy allegedly told school staff, "My dad keeps smacking me, don't call DCS," after arriving with red marks across his cheek. He said his father hit him before school that day because "his shirt was on backwards," according to police.
"He wasn't showing enough effort [to fix his shirt]," Martin Vaughn II, 24, told investigators about his son while being interviewed at the Peoria Police Department, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by Law&Crime.
Vaughn allegedly claimed that he woke the victim up at 5:30 a.m. on Oct. 30, told him "good morning" and said it was time to get up. Vaughn said he has to be at work at 6 a.m. or 6:30 a.m., according to the affidavit.
"Martin said he came into the victim's room, and the victim was in the closet," according to police. "Martin told the victim that his shirt may not be on the right way. He told him to look down and told him he may see the tag of the shirt. Martin said the victim looked down and he did not give enough effort to look for the tag. That's when he rambled at the victim."
Vaughn told police, according to the affidavit, "I couldn't control my anger" and "I started yelling." After that, he gave his son "a hug and a kiss" and then told his wife a story about a school bus seat belt hitting the child in the face and leaving "a mark," the affidavit says.
Investigators with the Arizona Department of Child Safety allegedly spoke to Vaughn's son and asked him what actually happened. The boy said "his dad smacked him on his ear and cheek" after getting upset with him over his shirt, according to the affidavit.
"His dad told him his shirt was on backwards and he said, 'Really?!' and then he looked down and he said, 'It's not backwards,' and then his dad smacked him," the affidavit alleges. "He said after he was smacked, he was crying in his safe spot. Then his stepmom walked him to his bus."
According to the child, Vaughn also hit him in the past "with a belt and with a spring." He described the spring as being "like an extension cord," the affidavit says.
"The victim said his dad 'hit him on his a—,'" according to police. "From speaking with DCS and the victim's mother, it was learned there is a history of abuse allegations with the victim and Martin."
When the boy showed up to his elementary school, he allegedly had red marks beneath his left eye down toward his jawline, ear and temple that resembled a handprint. When school staff asked what happened, he said, "My dad hit me," according to the affidavit.
Officers were called to investigate on Oct. 30. According to police, Vaughn's son has developmental delays and the cognitive ability of a 5-year-old.
"There are multiple DCS cases involving injuries to the victim with the defendant as the suspect," the affidavit says. "One was a month ago for punching the victim and another was from January for whipping and starving the victim."
When the boy was just 6 months old and in his father's care, he allegedly suffered a skull fracture and traumatic brain injury. Doctors also discovered that both his arms and legs were broken, according to the affidavit.
In January, when the boy was 6 years old, he allegedly told his mother that Vaughn "starves him and whips him with chains." His mother reported the claims to police.
In late September, the child allegedly showed up to his mom's house with a black eye. He said his father had punched him, but Vaughn later told officers the boy had struck his eye on a counter, according to the affidavit. The mother allegedly said the injury looked like he had been punched.
During a recorded phone call with the mother, Vaughn denied hitting the boy but attributed a mark on his face to being struck with a belt, the affidavit says.
The most recent investigation led to probable cause for child abuse and aggravated assault charges. Vaughn was arrested on Oct. 30.
According to police, the victim told investigators "he was scared to go back to the defendant and what the defendant would do to him for telling the truth."