A California man, Miguel Lazaro-Castillo, 38, has been sentenced to a four-year prison term after being found guilty of violently assaulting his wife in an incident that was captured on video by their 9-year-old child. Lazaro-Castillo received the maximum sentence permissible by law on Friday, following his no contest plea in October to charges of felony domestic violence, false imprisonment, and misdemeanor child abuse.
The charges originated from a distressing episode that took place on the morning of October 9. The Yuba County Sheriff’s Office was alerted to the situation through a 911 call made by one of Lazaro-Castillo’s children, as per a statement from the Yuba County District Attorney’s Office. Upon arrival at the family home, deputies discovered Lazaro-Castillo atop his wife, who was prone on a floor strewn with blood-soaked napkins.
The couple’s three children, aged 9, 14, and 15, were present in the house during the incident. As the investigation progressed, it was revealed that the youngest child had filmed the violent assault on their mother. The video, lasting over six minutes, reportedly depicted Lazaro-Castillo repeatedly striking his wife in the face and head.
According to the District Attorney’s office, one of Lazaro-Castillo’s daughters attempted to shield her mother from the blows with her hands. However, Lazaro-Castillo allegedly slapped the girl on the leg and continued the assault, flipping his wife onto her stomach and pressing her face into the carpet for a prolonged period. Initially, Lazaro-Castillo denied abusing his wife, claiming ignorance about the source of the blood.
Further investigation revealed that Lazaro-Castillo, his wife, and one of their underage children were under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident. The three children were subsequently placed in protective custody, and Lazaro-Castillo was arrested. Despite having no previous criminal record, Lazaro-Castillo received the maximum sentence for felony domestic violence due to the severity of his actions and his complete disregard for his children, as stated by the DA’s office.