CHUBBUCK– A Bannock County man has been accused of choking a 4-year-old, among other forms of physical abuse.
Jackson Sutton Horrocks, 26, has been charged with one count of felony injury to a child. If Horrocks is found guilty, he could serve up to 10 years in prison and pay a fine of up to $50,000.
On June 5, court documents state Chubbuck Police officers received a notification from Idaho Health and Welfare about signs of abuse. Officers responded to the residence in question, where they spoke with the boy and his mother.
When officers spoke with the child, they noticed a scratch on his face and marks on his neck. He allegedly told officers that Horrocks got mad and scratched his face, and that Horrocks had “choked him with his arm.”
Documents state that when asked further questions, the child told officers that he couldn’t breathe when choked. In addition, the boy told officers that Horrock was the cause of the mark on his leg.
More marks were allegedly found on the side of the child’s face, and scratches on the collarbone. Both were attributed to Horrocks.
The mother told police she had come home the day before from work, at which point Horrocks left the home. When the mother reportedly noticed the marks on the boy, she told Horrocks that he needed to stay away and that she would be reporting the incident.
The mother reportedly told officers that Horrocks had hit the boy before, hard enough to leave a bruise on his face. She said she told family that the boy fell, and she didn’t report it at that time because she thought it was an isolated occurrence.
Officers advised the mother that Horrocks would have to stay away and contacted Horrocks for an interview at the police station.
Court documents state that during the interview with Horrocks at the police station, Horrocks told the officer that he had gotten angry and slapped the child in the face because the child “was not listening and had thrown something at his sister.” Horrocks also allegedly told police that he had choked the child with his hand.
At this point, documents state officers told Horrocks that he needed to stay away from the children “for now” and that Horrocks would be charged with injury to a child, and it might be a felony. Horrocks was informed he would be issued a court summons for the felony instead of being arrested.
Though Horrocks has been charged with these crimes, this does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty.