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Churchgoing Man Beats Kids at His Congregation When Their Parents Ask Him
Photo by Gunnar Pippel via Shutterstock
When the parents of a 15-year-old boy in Irvine found out their son had a lighter — evidence that their son might be smoking — they knew exactly who to call to discipline him: Paul Kim, a member of their church congregation.Investigators say that Kim was the man church members called on when they wanted someone to mete out violent discipline to their kids. The father dropped the boy off at Kim's home (it's not clear if he stayed), where Kim questioned the boy about his alleged smoking. Kim then beat the boy with a pole about a dozen times, leaving bruises so bad an adult at the boy's school called authorities, according to the Associated Press.
Kim, 39, was arrested at his home in Chino Hills on Tuesday and he was released on bail Thursday. He faces a felony charge of willful cruelty to a child, San Bernardino County District Attorney officials told the AP. The boy's father could also face charges.
Authorities said other families at the La Habra church had used Kim to discipline their children and they're looking for other victims, the Los Angeles Times reported.
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