AP — A California lawmaker arrested on suspicion of child cruelty said Wednesday the allegation stemmed from spanking his 7-year-old daughter. Democratic Assemblyman Joaquin Arambula said he spanked his daughter Sunday night and it's a punishment tool he rarely uses, the Fresno Bee newspaper reported.
He said he has no plans to resign. And I'm just going through a process and trying the best I can to be a husband and father who's putting us back together again. Arambula is a former emergency room doctor who was elected in to represents parts of Fresno County.
He has three daughters, ages 3, 6 and 7. Arambula said he believes his daughter went to school angry and told a teacher about what had happened. He thanked the school, child protective services and the police for doing their jobs. Arambula was released shortly after his arrest and has not been formally charged. His daughters stayed with his parents for two nights until child protective services said they could go back home Wednesday, the newspaper reported.
But we have a job and a responsibility to continue to be good parents, and that's what I want to work on and will strive to do. Authorities will check in on the Arambulas in 30 days and suggested the family seek therapy, he said. Arambula's arrest was for a misdemeanor not a felony because the injury did not require medical attention, Dyer said, according to the Bee.
Spanking a child is generally legal if it's in a fleshy area such as the buttocks but not if it's in a place likely to cause injury like the face, he said. Copyright The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. File - In this Aug. Arambula, arrested on suspicion of child cruelty, says he spanked his 7-year-old daughter.
