Man seen slapping autistic boy in Pacoima faces criminal charges

Vivian Chow
·6 min read

The man who was caught on video slapping an autistic boy in Pacoima now faces criminal charges.

Scott Sakajian, a Sun Valley resident, was charged with willful cruelty to a child and battery on a person, according to the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office.

Sakajian is accused of slapping Alfredo Morales, 10, after the boy touched the emblem on his Mercedes-Benz sedan on July 1.

Alfredo and his older sister, Claudia Morales, were crossing the street when the incident happened.

Sakajian made an immediate U-turn and followed the siblings to a bus stop. He stepped out, walked over to Alfredo who was sitting on a bench and slapped him.

His sister tried intervening and explained that Alfredo had autism, but the man still struck the boy.

  • Scott Sakajian pulled over at a bus stop where the siblings were sitting at a bench in Pacoima on July 1, 2024. (RMG)
    Scott Sakajian pulled over at a bus stop where the siblings were sitting at a bench in Pacoima on July 1, 2024. (RMG)
  • Scott Sakajian pulled over at a bus stop where the siblings were sitting at a bench in Pacoima on July 1, 2024. (RMG)
    Scott Sakajian pulled over at a bus stop where the siblings were sitting at a bench in Pacoima on July 1, 2024. (RMG)
  • A man seen walking up to Alfredo Morales, 10, and slapping him in the face after the boy touched the emblem on his Mercedes-Benz sedan in Pacoima on July 1, 2024. (RMG)
    A man seen walking up to Alfredo Morales, 10, and slapping him in the face after the boy touched the emblem on his Mercedes-Benz sedan in Pacoima on July 1, 2024. (RMG)
  • A man seen walking up to Alfredo Morales, 10, and slapping him in the face after the boy touched the emblem on his Mercedes-Benz sedan in Pacoima on July 1, 2024. (RMG)
    A man seen walking up to Alfredo Morales, 10, and slapping him in the face after the boy touched the emblem on his Mercedes-Benz sedan in Pacoima on July 1, 2024. (RMG)
  • A man seen walking up to Alfredo Morales, 10, and slapping him in the face after the boy touched the emblem on his Mercedes-Benz sedan in Pacoima on July 1, 2024.
    Alfredo Morales explores a microphone as KTLA’s Mary Beth McDade speaks with his family on July 3, 2024. (KTLA)
  • The crosswalk near Laurel Canyon Boulevard and Osbourne Street in Pacoima where the incident happened. (KTLA)
    The crosswalk near Laurel Canyon Boulevard and Osbourne Street in Pacoima where the incident happened. (KTLA)
  • The Morales Family is currently homeless and living out of their truck. (GoFundMe)
    The Morales Family is currently homeless and living out of their truck. (GoFundMe)
  • Alfredo Morales and his sister is seen in the truck they live in with their family at a Pacoima park. (KTLA)
    Alfredo Morales and his sister is seen in the truck they live in with their family at a Pacoima park. (KTLA)
  • A man seen walking up to Alfredo Morales, 10, and slapping him in the face after the boy touched the emblem on his Mercedes-Benz sedan in Pacoima on July 1, 2024. (RMG)
    A man seen walking up to Alfredo Morales, 10, and slapping him in the face after the boy touched the emblem on his Mercedes-Benz sedan in Pacoima on July 1, 2024. (RMG)
  • A man seen walking up to Alfredo Morales, 10, and slapping him in the face after the boy touched the emblem on his Mercedes-Benz sedan in Pacoima on July 1, 2024. (RMG)
    A man seen walking up to Alfredo Morales, 10, and slapping him in the face after the boy touched the emblem on his Mercedes-Benz sedan in Pacoima on July 1, 2024. (RMG)
  • A man seen walking up to Alfredo Morales, 10, and slapping him in the face after the boy touched the emblem on his Mercedes-Benz sedan in Pacoima on July 1, 2024. (RMG)
    A man seen walking up to Alfredo Morales, 10, and slapping him in the face after the boy touched the emblem on his Mercedes-Benz sedan in Pacoima on July 1, 2024. (RMG)
  • A man seen walking up to Alfredo Morales, 10, and slapping him in the face after the boy touched the emblem on his Mercedes-Benz sedan in Pacoima on July 1, 2024. (RMG)
    A man seen walking up to Alfredo Morales, 10, and slapping him in the face after the boy touched the emblem on his Mercedes-Benz sedan in Pacoima on July 1, 2024. (RMG)
  • Alfredo Morales' parents are overwhelmed by the outpouring of community support. (KTLA)
    Alfredo Morales’ parents are overwhelmed by the outpouring of community support. (KTLA)
  • The Morales family, who are homeless, are seen spending an afternoon together outside of the truck they live in at a Pacoima park on July 4, 2024. (KTLA)
    The Morales family, who are homeless, are seen spending an afternoon together outside of the truck they live in at a Pacoima park on July 4, 2024. (KTLA)
  • The Morales family, who are homeless, are seen spending an afternoon together outside of the truck they live in at a Pacoima park on July 4, 2024. (KTLA)
    The Morales family, who are homeless, are seen spending an afternoon together outside of the truck they live in at a Pacoima park on July 4, 2024. (KTLA)
  • The Morales family, who are homeless, are seen spending an afternoon together outside of the truck they live in at a Pacoima park on July 4, 2024. (KTLA)
    The Morales family, who are homeless, are seen spending an afternoon together outside of the truck they live in at a Pacoima park on July 4, 2024. (KTLA)
  • Los Angeles rapper Swifty Blue has vowed to help fix the Morales family's truck so they can be mobile again. (KTLA)
    Los Angeles rapper Swifty Blue has vowed to help fix the Morales family’s truck so they can be mobile again. (KTLA)
  • Alex Manzo, a good Samaritan, heard about the Morales family and created a GoFundMe to help them get back on their feet. (KTLA)
    Alex Manzo, a good Samaritan, heard about the Morales family and created a GoFundMe to help them get back on their feet. (KTLA)
  • Antonio Villegas, the family’s attorney, speaks to Alfredo Morales' mother. He has pledged to seek justice for the family. (KTLA)
    Antonio Villegas, the family’s attorney, speaks to Alfredo Morales’ mother. He has pledged to seek justice for the family. (KTLA)
  • Alfredo Morales' parents are overwhelmed by the outpouring of community support. (KTLA)
    Alfredo Morales’ parents are overwhelmed by the outpouring of community support. (KTLA)
  • Alfredo Morales and his sister is seen outside the truck they live in with their family at a Pacoima park. (KTLA)
    Alfredo Morales and his sister is seen outside the truck they live in with their family at a Pacoima park. (KTLA)
  • Alfredo Morales' parents are overwhelmed by the outpouring of community support. (KTLA)
    Alfredo Morales’ parents (on left) are overwhelmed by the outpouring of community support. (KTLA)
  • Scott Sakajian pulled over at a bus stop where the siblings were sitting at a bench in Pacoima on July 1, 2024. (RMG)
    Scott Sakajian pulled over at a bus stop where the siblings were sitting at a bench in Pacoima on July 1, 2024. (RMG)

Cell phone video of the confrontation went viral on social media, leaving community members outraged. The family also filed a police report.

Since the incident, Alfredo’s family, who is homeless and lives out of a broken truck, have been surrounded by an outpouring of support, with many saying they resonated with the story.

Along with a successful GoFundMe campaign and fundraising event, the family’s broken truck underwent a complete makeover. The family is staying at a motel temporarily until local housing officials can help them transition into more permanent housing.

The boy’s father, Miguel Morales, recently lost his job at a restaurant and was struggling to make ends meet.

  • Alfredo Morales and his father, Miguel Morales, are grateful for the outpouring of support. (KTLA)
    Alfredo Morales and his father, Miguel Morales, are grateful for the outpouring of support. (KTLA)
  • The Morales Family is overwhelmed and grateful for the outpouring of community support on July 12, 2024. (KTLA)
    The Morales Family is overwhelmed and grateful for the outpouring of community support on July 12, 2024. (KTLA)
  • The Morales family's broken pickup truck was towed away to a local dealership for a complete makeover on July 12, 2024. (KTLA)
    The Morales family’s broken pickup truck was towed away to a local dealership for a complete makeover on July 12, 2024. (KTLA)
  • The Morales family's broken pickup truck was towed away to a local dealership for a complete makeover on July 12, 2024. (KTLA)
    The Morales family’s broken pickup truck was towed away to a local dealership for a complete makeover on July 12, 2024. (KTLA)
  • The Morales family's broken pickup truck was towed away to a local dealership for a complete makeover on July 12, 2024. (KTLA)
    The Morales family’s broken pickup truck was towed away to a local dealership for a complete makeover on July 12, 2024. (KTLA)
  • A man seen walking up to Alfredo Morales, 10, and slapping him in the face after the boy touched the emblem on his Mercedes-Benz sedan in Pacoima on July 1, 2024.
    Alfredo Morales explores a microphone as KTLA’s Mary Beth McDade speaks with his family on July 3, 2024. (KTLA)
  • A good Samaritan allows Alfredo Morales to enjoy the air conditioning in his truck on a hot summer day on July 12, 2024. (KTLA)
    A good Samaritan allows Alfredo Morales to enjoy the air conditioning in his truck on a hot summer day on July 12, 2024. (KTLA)
  • The Morales Family is currently homeless and living out of their truck. (GoFundMe)
    The Morales Family is currently homeless and living out of their truck. (GoFundMe)
  • The Morales family, who are homeless, are seen spending an afternoon together outside of the truck they live in at a Pacoima park on July 4, 2024. (KTLA)
    The Morales family, who are homeless, are seen spending an afternoon together outside of the truck they live in at a Pacoima park on July 4, 2024. (KTLA)
  • The Morales family, who are homeless, are seen spending an afternoon together outside of the truck they live in at a Pacoima park on July 4, 2024. (KTLA)
    The Morales family, who are homeless, are seen spending an afternoon together outside of the truck they live in at a Pacoima park on July 4, 2024. (KTLA)
  • The Morales family's broken pickup truck was towed away to a local dealership for a complete makeover on July 12, 2024. (KTLA)
    The Morales family’s broken pickup truck was towed away to a local dealership for a complete makeover on July 12, 2024. (KTLA)

Alfredo and his sister ride the bus daily to make a food and grocery run for the family. They were taking their usual bus route on July 1 when the confrontation happened.

The Morales family said they are overwhelmed by the generosity and kindness of strangers and said they plan to give back in some way to everyone who has helped them.

The family also has an attorney representing them, Antonio Villegas. Villegas said he became aware of their story after L.A. rapper Swifty Blue sent him the viral video.

“I will do anything in my power to help them,” Villegas told KTLA. “And I don’t mean just by filing some sort of lawsuit, but by getting them resources to turn this tragic situation into something that helps improve their lives.”

Sakajian is scheduled to appear in court for an arraignment hearing on Aug. 2, at the San Fernando Valley Courthouse.

If convicted on all charges, he faces up to six months in jail.

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