MIAMI – A court hearing was held Tuesday for a Miami-Dade man who is accused of beating his 6-year-old stepson and putting a dog collar on the boy.
“Your honor, it’s the state’s position that the defendant is a ticking time bomb,” a prosecutor told Judge Richard Hersch.
The state told the judge that they want Zachary Perez, 42, to remain locked up until his trial.
Perez, who was arrested May 10, is accused of beating his stepson over the course of two days, making him run with a backpack filled with rocks, whipping him with a tree branch and using a dog collar and leash to yank him to the ground.
“He had swollen eyes from being hit, he had numerous marks from the tree branch. He had a couple of scratches, a couple of bruises,” a Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office deputy testified. “He had a rash on his neck from the collar.”
The deputy said the abuse was caught on surveillance video at the family’s home in the 6900 block of Southwest 114th Avenue.
“The defendant had beat, punched him in the face multiple times, put a dog leash around his neck,” the deputy said.
The victim’s mother reported the abuse to police. Text messages show Perez allegedly threatened her.
“This was the day she left to file the report,” the deputy said. “He said ‘Get home.’ He was going to make her pay. (He said) ‘You’ll remember Mother’s Day.’”
It was also learned in court that at least five prior partners have come forward to say they’re afraid of Perez.
All reportedly filed domestic violence restraining orders against him, not all of which were granted.
“He freaks out. He threatens to kill them. He says he will kill his ex-wife, his kids, he’s going to kill everybody. And he threatens them with a gun,” the prosecutor said.
The defense called Perez’s mother, who testified that he suffers in part from a traumatic brain injury and PTSD as a result of his deployment to Iraq.
“He saw several IEDs, the explosions. He was in the tanks,” his mother said.
It was also stated in court that the victim could not immediately be interviewed as he had “gone mute” from the trauma, but he has begun speaking again.
Perez’s lawyer argued for total lockdown house arrest, saying Perez could stay with his mother and seek treatment.
“That would enable Mr. Perez to receive a mental health evaluation and any treatment necessary,” his defense attorney said.
But the judge said he would grant the state’s motion for pretrial detention and allow the defense to later present the results of a psychiatric evaluation.
“That your client would believe that treating a child in this fashion is appropriate is disturbing,” Hersch said.
As of Tuesday, Perez remains at the Metrowest Detention Center without bond.