A man in Pacoima, California, is facing backlash after a video showed him slapping a 10-year-old autistic boy who touched the emblem on his $146,000 Mercedes-Benz sedan. The incident occurred when Alfredo Morales, the autistic child, was crossing the road with his older sister and reached out to touch the car’s hood ornament. The car owner made a U-turn, approached the children at a bus stop, and struck Alfredo in the face despite the sister’s pleas in Spanish, explaining her brother’s condition.
The video, captured by a witness named Ashley, shows the man bending the hood ornament before driving away. The community has expressed outrage, and some residents have confronted the suspect at his home. Alfredo’s father, Miguel Morales, plans to file a police report and provide the video footage. The Los Angeles Police Department responded to the incident but did not find anyone at the scene when they arrived.
The Morales family, currently homeless, has received support from the community, including a GoFundMe page created to help them secure housing. This incident has drawn widespread condemnation and highlighted the challenges faced by families with special needs children.
