Man accused of punching, choking own children

BUCKEYE, Ariz. - A man was arrested after police say he abused his five children by choking and punching them.

According to court paperwork, 36-year-old Luis Guadalupe Delgado's sister called the Buckeye Police Department on Saturday after she said she saw him pull his 11-year-old son out of a chair and twist his wrist behind his back.

In the police report, the sister also stated Delgado left the home without providing medical care to his son for the swollen wrist and traveled to New Mexico for a personal matter.

The child was transported to an area hospital's emergency room, where he was later diagnosed with a sprained wrist.

During the investigation, Delgado's sister advised the police about another incident a week ago involving a 9-year-old son where he was crying after hearing his sibling tell scary stories. According to the police report, the "defendant observed [9-year-old] crying and told him to 'go find your balls outside' and punched him in his face on his cheek. [The sister] then saw [9-year-old] come outside crying and a large baseball size purple bruise on his face saying his dad hit him."

The children spoke up about the alleged abuse by their father. Investigators stated, "All five children were interviewed and disclosed several accounts of the defendant abusing them by choking with his hands, choking with a belt, beating with belts, wires, and punching them on their bodies and face with his hands."

After the interviews and observed injuries, the children were placed into the Arizona Department of Child Safety's custody. DCS advised that previous incidents were reported in New Mexico with Delgado and his children.

On Sunday, Delgado returned to the home and the police were called to the scene. He was taken into custody. During an interview, Delgado denied causing the 11-year-old boy's injuries, saying he and a cousin were fighting and the child got in between them to stop. That's when the boy fell to the ground and hit his arm. As for the 9-year-old boy's facial bruising, Delgado denied causing the injury but later changed his story to say he hit the child's face and only caused a small bruise.

Per the police report, the "Defendant stated multiple times that he gets frustrated with his kids and sometimes hits them with his hand or a belt, but that he does the best he can... his children and sister are not liars, but does not think what he does to his children is abuse."

Delgado was booked into jail on six counts of child/vulnerable adult abuse. His next court date is September 16.