Charges: Mankato man choked, slapped child

(Mankato, MN) – A Mankato man stands accused of choking and slapping a child.

Chad Richard Reid, 46, was charged in Blue Earth County Court with felony counts of malicious punishment of a child and domestic assault.

Blue Earth County detectives met with the victim – an 8-year-old child – after receiving a report of possible abuse on March 10.  The boy told investigators he had been playing with his brother two days earlier when Reid, who was drinking beer, began yelling at them them.

According to the victim, Reid choked him, squeezed his neck, then picked him up, threw him on the bed, then slapped him.  The boy’s brother witnessed the incident and confirmed the victim’s account, according to the complaint.

Court documents say the children called their mother after the incident, and she arrived to pick up the boys.

The child’s mother showed investigators a text message from Reid in which he denied drinking, but admitted to grabbing the child by the neck, and lightly slapping the boy, according to the complaint.

Investigators say Reid drank beer throughout his interview with police, where he denied choking the victim, but admitted to grabbing him by the neck.  He told police the slap was a brush of his fingertips.

According to the complaint, Reid said discipline back in his day was a kick in the a** or a slap across the face.

Reid was convicted of fifth-degree assault in 2018.  He is also charged with gross misdemeanor domestic assault.  His court appearance has been set for May 28.