Davenport Woman defends her husband for biting her son - CBS4 - WHBF Quad Cities, IL-IA News Weather Sports

Davenport Woman defends her husband for biting her son

By: Christine Souders

csouders@cbs4qc.com

A Davenport man is accused of biting his 4 year old stepson at least twice on the arm. James Darby, 27, was arrested this Wednesday Morning, and is charged with Child Endangerment with Bodily Injury.

Iowa's DHS reported him to police after the child's preschool teacher noticed some bite marks on the child's arm.

Darby was released on Wednesday afternoon on bond.

But the boy's mother says Darby was just teaching her son a lesson, and gave her side of the story. The boy's mother, Crystal Darby is defending her husband's actions. She says Darby bit her son because the 4 year old had bitten a teacher and some of his classmates at his preschool.

"All he did was just showed him a little bit of the pain he was giving to others," said Crystal Darby, who admits her husband left them there, and she says he did not do it on purpose, "He didn't do it very hard, but everything gets misunderstood."

Written in the affidavit, the Iowa Department of Human Services Investigator spoke with the child on Tuesday, the 4 year old said his step dad bit him as a form of discipline.

"He's used to traditional parenting. He's never been a father before and he absolutely adores his step son," said Crystal Darby.

Eric Rush, a friend of the family says even though Darby was arrested, he'd still trust his own kids in Darby's care,"He did it an eye for an eye style, he wasn't doing it with any intention of hurting him."

Crystal Darby says she doesn't know exactly if or when her husband will be able to come home, but James 

The Quad Cities Child Abuse Councill says situations like this happen because parents react before thinking.

"Certainly this is punishment, not discipline. Punishment is a short term answer, and discipline would have more long term results, so at any point that a parent is endangering or physically injuring a child, that's crossing the line," said Angie Kendall, Community Educator.

She says often times parents don't know what to do when it comes to teaching their children to behave. She says parents should focus on what to do, rather than what not to do. For example, instead of telling a child to stop running, try saying slow down and walk.