Student Accused of Making Gang Signs, Father Arrested for Child Abuse

Theoplias Benson
Theoplias Benson
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Updated: 10/14/2011 11:04 am
MEMPHIS, TN (abc24.com) - A Memphis man was arrested after getting a call from his son's school saying a teacher was concerned the boy was doing gang signs with another student.

An affidavit says 37-year-old Theoplias Benson was arrested on Thursday, October 13, 2011, for statements his son made on November 1, 2010.

After Benson received the call from his son's school, he went there to pick up his son. Benson said that there was no need for the school to punish the boy. Benson told school officials the boy would be punished at home.

The victim told police that he got a whipping from his father. The document says Benson beat the boy with a leather belt.

Benson admitted to whipping his son with an inch-wide leather belt and he has been charged with aggravated child abuse.
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karen - 10/16/2011 9:00 AM
0 Votes
my child called the folks on me when I tore into her butt,and I know how this parent feels-I pray the Lord gives him strength to deal with the folks he will come in contact with.People seem to forget that God instructs us to correct our young,the other side is- A group of folks that will spend 5,0000 to lock em up but not 500 to educate em! NOW I BLESS GOD that a man( his father)came to see about him.Let us rally around this man and give him support,belive me he is gonna need it and that child of mine now 30 years old looks back and thanks me for keeping my foot on her NECK!

indpdnt1 - 10/15/2011 11:43 PM
0 Votes
OK parents and future parents do this when your children need disciplining send them to court and let them have them you will much better off let them have your children because you will be in jail for trying to do anything to correct their bad attitudes, if enough people start doing this one simple thing then the laws WILL CHANGE and will change pretty quick and we will go back to the days when parents were in charge of their children.

country boy - 10/15/2011 11:29 PM
0 Votes
Please people...do not judge until you know the complete story. While papers do not report everything, what they do report is so one sided, we cannot help but react. I was spanked with a belt growing up and I spanked my kids. I would do it exactly the same way today if I had young children who misbehaved in a manner as grievous as the one described in this article.

901memtn - 10/14/2011 7:48 PM
0 Votes
Please people...do not judge until you know the complete story.

Frayserboi - 10/14/2011 6:15 PM
2 Votes
Give Mr. Benson a hearty, "Hear Hear!!!".....what we need is for more parents applying leather to backsides!!!

caballro - 10/14/2011 4:37 PM
1 Vote
A friend of mine was in the same predicament. Kids knew she would get in trouble if she spanked them. So she told the judge to place them in Juvenile detention, boy were they surprised. All of a sudden they wanted to be model children. She went ahead with the plan for six months, got them out and they have been pretty good so far.

lconst - 10/14/2011 3:56 PM
4 Votes
OMG!!! I dont know about most of you. But when I was growing up I was spanked. Does that mean I should go running to the cops now that I was abused. Hell NO!!! If I didnt get punished then there is no telling what direction in life I would or could have gone. I dont think for one second that I was abused. There has to be something done if we cant spank our kids. ITs one thing to beat them and give them bruises, busted lips and black eyes. But to spank!! But here is the catch. It is ok for the schools to paddle them with a PADDLE a big wooden PADDLE!!!!! Why arent the principals arrested and charged with child abuse too. There has to be a line drawn between abuse and discipline. ANd it is so sad that kids these days yell abuse. Knowing damn well they need to be punished!!!!

crazydayz - 10/14/2011 3:25 PM
4 Votes
How stupid are we as a society to allow this to happen. Does anyone really think our children would be better off without discipline.

crazydayz - 10/14/2011 3:21 PM
0 Votes
Im sure this makes the

LMGOMG - 10/14/2011 2:33 PM
5 Votes
I know the police department has better more important things to do than put people in jail who discipline their kids. MPD - mind your own business, do your job, and let the parents who WANT to discipline their children do so. Parents not disciplining their children is the problem. I bet your mom or dad whipped your butt when you needed it. Mine did and they didn't get put in jail for it. LET THIS MAN GO.
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