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Man gets 7-day sentence for punching daughter
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Posted on Nov 04 2011
By Ferdie de la Torre
Reporter
Reporter
Superior Court associate judge Perry B. Inos yesterday slapped a seven-day prison term against a man who punched his 17-year-old daughter for not studying and constantly cutting classes.
Inos sentenced Ricky Walter to two years in prison, all suspended except for seven days, with credit for the seven days he has already served in jail. This means the 45-year-old Walter will no longer serve further jail time.
Although Walter was just trying to discipline his daughter, Inos said that his act of punching her is “inexcusable and not justified.”
“Maintain your composure. Don’t raise your hands,” the judge told Walter.
Inos noted that he had heard in another case that punching and slapping children are acceptable forms of punishment in Chuuk but, “if that is your culture, do not practice that here.” Walter is a Chuukese.
Walter was placed on probation for two years and is barred from drinking alcohol during that time. He is also required to perform 50 hours of community service and to undergo parenting and anger management counseling. Walter was also directed to pay a $100 fine, plus court costs and probation fees.
The Office of the Attorney General had charged Walter with child abuse and disturbing the peace. He pleaded guilty to child abuse as part of a plea deal; the other charge was dropped.
Police reports said that Walter came home drunk on March 20, 2011, at 8pm at Upper Miha Housing in Garapan and noticed his daughter on the phone. He scolded her for prioritizing hanging out with friends over her schoolwork. Walter then punched her in the face, prompting the daughter to run to 99 Cents Store where she called her uncle from Gualo Rai. The uncle picked up the teenager and then called police.
Walter told police he just wanted to discipline his daughter for not taking her education seriously.
Walter and his wife were previously called to the school principal’s office for a parental counseling regarding their daughter’s uncontrollable behavior and constant cutting of classes.
