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Video shows man slapping autistic child after car crash in Pacoima

A cell phone video captures the moment a man in Pacoima slaps an autistic child for touching his car.

Alfredo Morales, 10, and his older sister were crossing the street at the corner of Laurel Canyon Boulevard and Osbourne Street when the boy reached out and touched the emblem on the man’s Mercedes-Benz sedan.


The man immediately turned around and followed the two siblings to a bus stop, where he stopped. Then he went to Alfredo, who was sitting on a bench, and slapped him.

His sister tried to intervene, but the man still managed to hit the boy.

A man walks up to 10-year-old Alfredo Morales and punches him in the face after the boy touched the emblem of his Mercedes-Benz sedan in Pacoima on July 1, 2024. (RMG)
The male driver stopped at a bus stop where the siblings were sitting on a bench in Pacoima on July 1, 2024. (RMG)
The male driver stopped at a bus stop where the siblings were sitting on a bench in Pacoima on July 1, 2024. (RMG)
A man walks up to 10-year-old Alfredo Morales and punches him in the face after the boy touched the emblem of his Mercedes-Benz sedan in Pacoima on July 1, 2024. (RMG)
A man approaches 10-year-old Alfredo Morales and punches him in the face after the boy touched the emblem on his Mercedes-Benz sedan in Pacoima on July 1, 2024.
The crosswalk near Laurel Canyon Boulevard and Osbourne Street in Pacoima where the incident occurred. (KTLA)
A man walks up to 10-year-old Alfredo Morales and punches him in the face after the boy touched the emblem of his Mercedes-Benz sedan in Pacoima on July 1, 2024. (RMG)
A man walks up to 10-year-old Alfredo Morales and punches him in the face after the boy touched the emblem of his Mercedes-Benz sedan in Pacoima on July 1, 2024. (RMG)
A man walks up to 10-year-old Alfredo Morales and punches him in the face after the boy touched the emblem of his Mercedes-Benz sedan in Pacoima on July 1, 2024. (RMG)
A man walks up to 10-year-old Alfredo Morales and punches him in the face after the boy touched the emblem of his Mercedes-Benz sedan in Pacoima on July 1, 2024. (RMG)

Family members told KTLA’s Mary Beth McDade they were angry, saying the incident occurred on July 1 as the siblings were riding the bus to do their daily grocery shopping.

The boy’s father, Miguel Morales, said Alfredo is autistic and often touches objects around him to explore his surroundings.

Miguel said his family wanted justice for Alfredo and had reported the incident to the police.

KTLA has identified the man involved in the incident, but we were told he was out of town when we asked for comment.

A GoFundMe campaign for the currently homeless Morales family can be found here.

A video of the incident can be seen in the video player above.