A Kansas City man, Matthew Proctor, 41, is facing charges of child abuse after allegedly causing a teenager to have a seizure by punching him multiple times in the face during a violent confrontation. Proctor was arrested and placed in the Jackson County Detention Center.
The incident occurred just before 11 a.m. on Tuesday when Proctor arrived at a home to confront someone who had “answered the phone disrespectfully,” according to the probable cause statement. Proctor reportedly asked for his children, and when his son came outside and yelled at him, the altercation escalated.
According to the police report, Proctor punched the 15-year-old in the face “about three times,” causing the minor to fall to the ground. “The minor then began to have a seizure, and Matthew hit him two more times in the face,” police said. Although the identity of the victim is redacted, it is believed to be Proctor’s son who was hit.
Several underage witnesses corroborated the homeowner’s account, providing key details to help authorities piece together the events. The family had planned to go to the Worlds of Fun theme park in Kansas City that day, but a heated phone conversation between Proctor and one of the children led to his violent outburst, reports Law & Crime.
A witness told police that Proctor was “trippin” when he arrived, and one person became “mute” upon hearing Proctor’s threat to “beat” someone. Before arriving, Proctor allegedly threatened violence, saying he would “beat” someone’s “a–.”
A person present at the residence became concerned because Proctor had previously “punched the air out of his lungs.” When Proctor arrived, the situation quickly escalated. After his eldest daughter hit him in the back, Proctor grabbed one of his sons and left the scene.
When police arrived, the 15-year-old boy was being walked to an ambulance, suffering from swelling and bruising to his face and jaw, as well as a concussion. He was transported to a nearby children’s hospital. Proctor was arrested about 35 minutes later at a different residence. He had minor injuries and claimed he was the first to be hit.
Proctor initially stated he only hit the victim once, but later suggested the injuries might have been caused by the minor’s fall to the ground. A Ring doorbell camera captured footage of the incident, showing Proctor striking the victim multiple times before a woman confronted him and he left.
The video did not show the minor hitting Proctor. Proctor is being held on a $75,000 bond and is scheduled for a court hearing on August 6. Authorities have stated that he “poses a threat to the victim.”