A 34-year-old LaPorte County man is facing a felony domestic battery charge after police say he tried to force a bar of soap into a seven-year-old boy's mouth as punishment for cursing, leaving the child with a small wound on his forehead. Daniel Schergen was arrested on a warrant and has since posted bond, according to court records.
According to charging information cited by WSBT, the incident unfolded in late August after one of the children in the car was dropped off at football practice. At some point after that drop-off, the boy uttered a profanity, which a witness in the vehicle described as really bad, according to police.
Police say Schergen then pulled into a convenience store in Kingsbury and directed his girlfriend to buy a bar of soap. From there, charging documents allege, Schergen tried to force the soap into the boy's mouth while holding the child's head down against a car seat. The boy reportedly kept his mouth closed throughout the struggle, crying and screaming as he kicked and hit Schergen multiple times, according to police.
Investigators Say This Wasn't the First Time
Investigators told reporters Schergen had forced soap into the child's mouth on at least one prior occasion, the same report from the station notes. Police also said Schergen struck the child in the forehead during the encounter, leaving what officers described as a small oval mark. Court documents attribute the redness to Schergen holding the boy's head against the car seat.
The boy's mother later provided photographs to police showing redness on his forehead along with bruising on his face, according to investigators. Schergen's girlfriend reportedly bought alcohol wipes and bandages afterward to clean and cover the injury.
Schergen Told Police He Was Trying a Different Approach
According to ABC6, Schergen told investigators he had been trying to replace spanking with timeouts and talking to the children, but said those approaches were not always effective. Per police, that explanation came as he answered questions about the alleged soap incident.
LaPorte County Police said the investigation began September 8 after the Indiana Department of Child Services filed a report alleging physical abuse. The same account from the station says Schergen was arrested on a warrant October 23 and released from the LaPorte County Jail five days later after posting $750 bond.
Prosecutor Explains the Legal Threshold for Excessive Discipline
LaPorte County Prosecutor Sean Fagan said state law permits parents to discipline their children, but with limits on how severe that punishment can be. Fagan said determining whether discipline crosses into excessive territory involves asking how much is too much for a child or minor.
If convicted, Schergen could face a sentence ranging from six to 30 months, the station reported. The case remains pending in LaPorte County, and the evidence reviewed does not establish how it will ultimately be resolved.
