Father arrested in slapping 12-year-old boy who had allegedly bullied his stepdaughter

A stepfather was arrested by police in Deer Park, Texas, after he slapped a 12-year-old boy in the face for allegedly bullying his stepdaughter.

James Olander Peace is being charged with felony injury to a child, according to KXXV.

According to Peace’s wife, who asked to remain anonymous, he was sticking up for his stepdaughter after she was allegedly bullied by a student and his friend while walking home from school.

She added that the bully was “saying that her [daughter’s] body was ugly, said that she was a transvestite, started throwing ice cream at her and then they picked up the rocks.” The young girl called for a ride home, during which time Peace saw the 12-year-old walking by, according to WPVI-TV.

“On the drive home, they happened to see the suspect juvenile walking, and that’s when the stepdad decided to stop and confront the kid,” said Lt. Chris Brown with the Deer Park Police Department. The stepfather then began shouting at the 12-year-old, and then allegedly hit him with an open hand. 

“He was slapped across the face with an open hand, had red marks and swelling to his cheek and upper jaw,” Brown told KXXV.

According to court records, the stepfather threatened the boy not to tell police or he would beat him up.

Peace’s wife said that her husband’s emotions got the best of him. “I do not agree with what he did,” she told KXXV. “He took it too far, he did.”