A Goodyear man has been arrested after reportedly using a Taser on his son multiple times over the past year.
Police report that on April 21 school staff informed them of a possible child abuse incident. Police checked on the 11-year-old boy and saw, "numerous scattered spot-like abrasions" on the child’s right shoulder. The victim reported to police that his father 49-year-old Darryl Ingram uses a Taser on him when he doesn't do his homework.
The victim allegedly reported to police that Ingram use a Taser on him several times over the past year on his shoulder, arm, and legs. He was told by his father that, "it was like a toy and wasn't charged all the way."
He also reported that sometimes he would get hit with a metal cane and one time he was given a choice of being 'whooped' 40 times or having the Taser used on him, and he chose the Taser.
Upon his arrest, Ingram said there was no stun gun or Taser, but it was just a phone app. Another family member confirmed to police that Ingram did own a Taser, which was located by police.
Ingram spoke to ABC15 and said the stun gun wasn't intended for discipline, rather a scare tactic.
"I was telling him this is a toy compared to what police use," Ingram said. "If your behavior and the way you're doing things continues on, somewhere down the line, this is something that is going to be used on you. You have to be obedient."
Ingram allegedly later told police that he did use the Taser once on his son as a demonstration, so he wouldn't use it.
"I just kind of showed him against myself," Ingram said. "It basically is like a pinch. It doesn't deliver much voltage or anything. It does kinda like pinch the skin."
He explained in the past, schools officials had also called DCS when he spanked his son He said after talking to DCS they dismissed the case.
Ingram, who works as a Medical Assistant at the VA, has been charged with child abuse.
DCMS officials removed the boy from Ingram's home. He's now living out of state with his mother.
