Biblical discipline -- or child abuse? (OneNewsNow.com)

Biblical discipline -- or child abuse?

Charlie Butts and Marty Cooper - OneNewsNow - 7/17/2008 8:20:00 AM

An Idaho mother is facing child abuse charges, even though evidence clearly contradicts the accusations.

Melissa Farrell and her children, including a 21-month-old restless girl, were observers at a 4th of July parade in Couer d'Alene. Farrell tells local television station KREM she had to restrain the toddler from running into the street filled with trucks and parade floats. "You know, I tried different positions to try and keep her calm and keep her from running away, and she was insisting that she was to go across the street, and she was not staying still," Farrell explains.

Bryan Fischer of the Idaho Values Alliance (IVA) picks up the story. "She gave her a couple of swats on her bottom and before she knew what had happened, she was surrounded by four police officers who were accusing her of child abuse and threatening her that the state was going to take her children away from her," Fischer contends.

According to an IVA article on the topic, spanking a child under "careful control, and in response to defiance and disobedience" helps protect a child from self-destructive behavior. In Proverbs 13:24, Solomon notes, "He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him." Fischer believes, therefore, it is a form of child abuse not to spank a child when he or she needs it.

The police ignored normal procedure and did not check the child for wounds.But Farrell immediately took the youngster to a hospital for an examination to prove there had been no abuse. "He still cited me for injury to a child, and when he handed me the citation, I'm going, 'You didn't even look at her. She's not injured. You didn't even check for injuries. How can you give this to me?' Then he just hands me the citation," Farrell adds.

According to IVA, even Couer d'Alene police captain Ron Clark notes that the officer who cited Farrell said there were no visible signs of injury to the child. Some bystanders claimed they saw Farrell slam her daughter on the ground and try to smother her, but certainly visible physical marks would be apparent if that were the case. "And the hospital said that [the child] was in absolutely fine condition – not a mark, not a trace of any kind of injury on her," Fischer validates.

The hospital records are available to the prosecutor, who still intends to take the Farrells to court over the charges.

Now, Farrell and her husband face at least $5,000 in legal fees to defend against the charges, a bill they are hard-pressed to pay. Rob Farrell is currently working three jobs to support his family. Fischer encourages family advocates to contact the Couer d'Alene city attorney's office, urging them to drop all charges against Farrell.