UPDATE: Two charges against D.C. police Lt. David Hutchinson were dropped on July 13, 2018, and his case was dismissed.
WASHINGTON — A D.C. police lieutenant is facing a felony charge of cruelty to children, which court documents said stems from a domestic incident with his son.
His colleagues arrested D.C. police Lt. David Hutchinson, 55, after a neighbor called the D.C. Child and Family Services Agency hotline on Oct. 30. There was a report of hearing a “child screaming, banging and a belt,” court documents said.
“A child’s voice was heard stating, ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry,’ and, ‘I will listen.’ The referral also reported that an adult male voice was heard stating, ‘You’re gonna listen to me,'” the documents said.
Investigators found that Hutchinson’s 12-year-old son had a number of injuries to his face, including swelling of his left eye, abrasions under his right eye and red linear markings on the left side of his face, the documents stated.
Initially, the boy told investigators the family dog had jumped on him, going on to say, “I’m trying not to lose my dad,” charging documents said.
Hutchinson told investigators his son had “a bad day.” He explained his son was “given a demerit from school due to playing with matches,” the documents said. Hutchinson reported yelling at his son for approximately two hours but denied physically disciplining him.
A judge released Hutchinson on his own recognizance following an initial hearing. He is on administrative leave from D.C. police while the department conducts its own investigation.
D.C. police confirm Hutchinson has been with the department for 27 years.
