By Lori Ehde
A Luverne man was sentenced in Rock County District Court last week after a jury found him guilty of maliciously punishing a child.
Twenty-year-old Michael Lee Reverts has begun serving a 120-day jail sentence in Worthington for spanking his girlfriend's 2-year-old daughter to the point of injury.
Reverts told police he spanked the child when he became angry and admitted that at times he lost control.
When asked how many times he had spanked the child, Reverts told law enforcement, "I'd say between four, five, six times. I'm getting better, because, before, I was... spanking her almost every day, but now ...because my fiancŽe has been giving me a real hard time about it ... I'm slowly working my way out of it."
According to the complaint filed earlier this year, the abuse came to the attention of law enforcement when the girl's biological father noticed bruising during an arranged visitation.
He took the girl to a hospital, where physicians noted, "Her skin reveals a multitude of bruises of various ages ... primarily over the back and buttocks."
The physician's report, as quoted in the complaint, suggested an ongoing pattern of abuse.
"She has deep bruises over the buttocks that appear to be three to four days old, with abrasions over the surface," the report stated.
"The abrasions appear newer, approximately two days old. She has a relatively new bruise on the upper left thigh, just below the groin."
The child was removed from her mother's home in Luverne, where Reverts also resided, and was placed in protective custody at the time of the arrest and now is living with grandparents.
Reverts was found guilty of malicious punishment of a child and domestic assault in an Oct. 25 and 26 jury trial.
Assistant County Attorney Terry Vajgrt expressed satisfaction with the jury's verdict, but he stressed a need to address child abuse and neglect more proactively.
"Abused and neglected children suffer emotional as well as physical damage," he said.
He said such children are more likely to have chronic health problems, low self-esteem and an inability to form healthy attachments to other people.
Reverts appeared before Judge Timothy Connell Thursday, Nov. 29, for sentencing.
A 12-month jail sentence was stayed on the following conditions:
that he serve 120 days in jail,
pay $1,538 in fines and $500 in restitution, continue participating in an aftercare program,
pay the domestic abuse assessment fee of $125,
attend Alcoholics Anonymous/Narcotics Anonymous weekly,
abstain from alcohol or other mood-altering substances,
complete the domestic abuse counseling program,
have no contact with the victim,
accept supervision of a probation agent for five years and
have no violation of laws of misdemeanor level or greater during probation period.
"Parenting can be a tremendous challenge, but nothing excuses violence directed at children," Vajgrt said. "We are fortunate to have many resources locally which provide excellent support for families with young children."
These resources include Rock County Family Services, Early Childhood Family Education, Nobles-Rock Public Health and the University of Minnesota Extension Service.