Nationwide — Paul Thames, a man from Waco, Texas, and a U.S. Army sergeant, is facing charges after allegedly beating a 3-year-old boy who didn’t want to practice his ABCs. Police say a video shows the attack, and the child needed medical care.
Thames, 29, is charged with injury to a child and is being held at McLennan County Jail. Authorities learned of the incident after a Ring doorbell video surfaced online. The footage shows Thames picking up the boy by the neck and hitting him on the back several times, according to WLBT.
In interviews with police, Thames said he disciplined the boy because he refused to work on his ABCs. He told officers he had recently moved in with the child’s mother and did not inform her about the beating. Thames admitted he went “overboard” and apologized to the child.
The Ring cameras also captured the boy crying while Thames asked, “Are you going to stop playing?” Police said the video was the only reason the abuse was discovered. The child was treated at a Waco hospital for neck pain and later released.
The 1st Cavalry Division, where Thames is stationed at Fort Hood, confirmed his arrest. A spokesperson said the Army is cooperating with law enforcement and condemned the behavior, saying it does not represent military values.