A cellphone video captured the moment a Mercedes owner allegedly slapped a boy with autism for touching his car’s hood ornament in the Pacoima neighborhood of Los Angeles on July 1.
Alfredo Morales, 10, and his older sister were heading to a bus stop when Alfredo reached out and touched the Mercedes-Benz emblem while the car was stopped at a red light. The driver made a U-turn and confronted the siblings at the bus stop.
The sister explained that Alfredo is autistic, but the driver slapped the boy before returning to his car. The driver then got out of his car, examined the emblem, and drove off.
Alfredo’s parents expressed anger about the incident and mentioned that due to their son’s autism, he often explores his environment through touch. The father, Miguel Morales, is planning to file a police report and provide the video footage as evidence.
A call was made to the Los Angeles Police Department at the time of the incident, but the parties involved had left by the time officers arrived at the bus stop.