‘Ticking time bomb:’ Miami-Dade man accused of beating young stepson, yanking him by dog collar to remain behind bars

MIAMI – A tribunal proceeding was held Tuesday for a Miami-Dade antheral who is accused of beating his 6-year-old stepson and putting a canine collar connected the boy.

“Your honor, it’s the state’s presumption that the suspect is simply a ticking clip bomb,” a authoritative told Judge Richard Hersch.

The authorities told the justice that they privation Zachary Perez, 42, to stay locked up until his trial.

Perez, who was arrested May 10, is accused of beating his stepson implicit the people of 2 days, making him tally with a backpack filled with rocks, whipping him with a histrion subdivision and utilizing a canine collar and leash to yank him to the ground.

“He had swollen eyes from being hit, helium had galore marks from the histrion branch. He had a mates of scratches, a mates of bruises,” a Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office lawman testified. “He had a rash connected his cervix from the collar.”

The lawman said the maltreatment was caught connected surveillance video astatine the family’s location successful the 6900 artifact of Southwest 114th Avenue.

“The suspect had beat, punched him successful the look aggregate times, enactment a canine leash astir his neck,” the lawman said.

The victim’s parent reported the maltreatment to police. Text messages amusement Perez allegedly threatened her.

“This was the time she near to record the report,” the lawman said. “He said ‘Get home.’ He was going to marque her pay. (He said) ‘You’ll retrieve Mother’s Day.’”

It was besides learned successful tribunal that astatine slightest 5 anterior partners person travel guardant to accidental they’re acrophobic of Perez.

All reportedly filed home unit restraining orders against him, not each of which were granted.

“He freaks out. He threatens to termination them. He says helium volition termination his ex-wife, his kids, he’s going to termination everybody. And helium threatens them with a gun,” the authoritative said.

The defence called Perez’s mother, who testified that helium suffers successful portion from a traumatic encephalon wounded and PTSD arsenic a effect of his deployment to Iraq.

“He saw respective IEDs, the explosions. He was successful the tanks,” his parent said.

It was besides stated successful tribunal that the unfortunate could not instantly beryllium interviewed arsenic helium had “gone mute” from the trauma, but helium has begun speaking again.

Perez’s lawyer argued for full lockdown location arrest, saying Perez could enactment with his parent and question treatment.

“That would alteration Mr. Perez to person a intelligence wellness valuation and immoderate attraction necessary,” his defence lawyer said.

But the justice said helium would assistance the state’s question for pretrial detention and let the defence to aboriginal contiguous the results of a psychiatric evaluation.

“That your lawsuit would judge that treating a kid successful this manner is due is disturbing,” Hersch said.

As of Tuesday, Perez remains astatine the Metrowest Detention Center without bond.

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