Father charged with aggravated child abuse after “whooping” his step-child speaks out

William White
William White
Updated: Dec. 17, 2018 at 1:24 PM EST
Email This Link
Share on Pinterest
Share on LinkedIn

VENICE (WWSB) - A South Venice man who is facing charges for allegedly “whooping” his step-child over a bad report card is speaking out, claiming that this is discipline - not child abuse.

William White has been charged with aggravated abuse of a child for allegedly hitting his step-child with a wooden paddle. He doesn’t deny hitting his step-child, but says it’s a form of discipline that he and his fiancée use called “whooping.”

“[Discipline is] so shunned on, especially in the state of Florida, for people to discipline their children. They see it as child abuse, and yeah there are some cases where kids are abused in their homes, and they’re not able to speak up. This is not one of those cases,” White said. “This became more of a, ‘He hurt you because you have bruises on you.’ I know the bruises are not okay, but disrespect is also not okay in our household."

The Florida Department of Children and Families draws the line between discipline and child abuse when it results in physical harm to the child.

William White
William White(Sarasota County Sheriff's Office (custom credit))

Deputies learned of the abuse after the boy went to the school nurse to ask for a bandage. She noticed his injuries and notified authorities. The boy told a child protection team that he was “whooped” with a wooden paddle for bringing home a bad report card. Investigators say he had excessive bruising and injuries to his legs, buttocks, lower back and arms.

Deputies say when they interviewed the 26-year-old White, he admitted using the wooden paddle, and though he initially expressed disbelief about the injuries, deputies say he eventually stated that he became angry and things got out of control.

Deputies spoke to White’s fiancée, 25-year-old Samantha Graf, who acknowledged that she and White disciplined the child with “whoopings.” Deputies say though she initially denied that the injuries could have been from the wooden paddle, eventually she said the victim had been struck more aggressive and more times than usual.

Graf was arrested and charged last week for child neglect with great bodily harm. Her two children are now in the custody of family members.

Samantha Graf
Samantha Graf(Sarasota County Sheriff's Office (custom credit))

“I can’t even see my kids, and it’s so hard even being in my house right now because all of their things are everywhere. It’s hurting my family. It’s tearing me apart and my fiancée apart, and it’s even hurting my kids. This is just a mess. It’s like a bad nightmare that you can’t wake up from," White said.

Both White and Graf are expected to be in front of a judge in the next couple of weeks, though no court date has been set.

Copyright 2018 WWSB. All rights reserved.