CHINO HILLS (CBS) — A San Bernardino County man is facing child cruelty charges after allegedly beating a young boy with a metal pole.
Paul Kim, 39, of Chino Hills, was arrested earlier this week on willful cruelty to a child charges, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.
An investigation into Kim began when an Irvine school official noticed that a young boy had severe bruising on the back of his legs. The school official filed a report with Child Protective Services, who then contacted authorities.
Investigators found that the victim’s family and Kim attended the same church in La Habra.
“Irvine police learned that the victim’s father dropped the victim off at Paul Kim’s home in Chino Hills to be disciplined after finding a lighter in the victim’s possession and suspecting that he had been smoking,” San Bernardino officials said in a press release.
The victim’s father gave Kim permission to use corporal punishment on his son. Authorities say Kim struck the boy on the back of his legs about a dozen times with a metal pole, measuring approximately one inch in diameter.
Kim is currently free on $100,000 bond.
Investigators believe Kim may have committed similar crimes with the permission of other families. Anyone with information should call the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, Crimes Against Children Division at (909) 387-3615.
