A guy from the San Fernando Valley was charged with hitting a child with autism at a bus stop. He went to court on Monday.
In connection with an event on July 1, Scott Sakajian was charged by the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office with willful cruelty to a child and battery on a person. Alfredito Morales, 10, was the child in question.
While Alfredo and his older sister Claudia were crossing the street, the boy touched the mark on Sakajian’s Mercedes-Benz car.
Right away, Sakajian turned around and followed the brothers to a bus stop near Laurel Canyon Drive and Osborne Street. He then got out of the car, walked over to Alfredo, who was sitting on a bench, and slapped him while Claudia tried to stop him.
There is a cell phone video that became popular on social media that shows Claudia telling the man that the boy has autism, but he still hit him.
The kids’ dad said that his kids take the bus to the store every day and were on their usual trip when the fight broke out.
When the homeless family, who were living in a broken-down truck, called the police, they received an outpouring of support from the community. A GoFundMe campaign and fundraising event helped give the family truck a complete makeover, and the family was temporarily housed in a motel while local officials helped them find more permanent housing.
On Monday, Sakajian will be in court in person. According to the family’s lawyer, Antonio Villegas, this will be the first time Sakajian has been to any of the court meetings in this case.
Villegas said, “Scott Sakajian has done nothing to show that he deserves to be diverted.” “Instead, he has given reasons for what he did.”
Sakajian could spend six months in jail if he is found guilty.
On Monday morning, a judge said that Sakajian’s Motion of Judicial Diversion would not be heard until January 23.
