4-year-old boy dies after father beats him with guitar
CLARKDALE, Ariz. (KTVK) — Police in Arizona said a 4-year-old boy died after his father beat him with a guitar.
An officer who responded to the scene fatally shot the father during a struggle.
The incident happened at a home in Clarkdale around 3 p.m. Thursday. Police were called to the scene after reports of a domestic disturbance.
Authorities said 33-year-old Joshua Hernandez Lord struck his 4-year-old son multiple times in the head with a guitar, causing numerous skull fractures. Lord also struck his 51-year-old mother in the head, fracturing her skull.
Officers tried to deescalate the situation and deployed a Taser on Lord, but it was ineffective. As police repeatedly tried to calm him down, Lord allegedly grabbed a knife and used it to threaten the officers. Police said he then charged at one of them.
An officer then shot Lord, who died at the scene. His 4-year-old son was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead Friday.
The condition of the suspect’s mother was not released.
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