Shocking cellphone video captured the moment an entitled Mercedes owner slapped a boy with autism for touching his car’s hood ornament while the child was walking along a California street on Monday.
Alfredo Morales, 10, was with his older sister crossing the street at Laurel Canyon Boulevard and Osbourne Street in the Pacoima neighborhood of Los Angeles on July 1.
The siblings were heading to a bus stop for their daily food run when young Alfredo reached out and touched the Mercedes-Benz emblem on the front of the luxury sedan when it was stopped at a red light at the intersection, according to KTLA.
The curious grab angered the driver, who made an immediate U-turn and confronted the two sitting on the bus stop’s bench.
“Sorry, he is autistic,” the sister says in Spanish in the video. “He has special needs.”
Morales’ older sister attempted to stand between her brother and the man as a smiling Alfredo reached out to the new visitor.
The older sibling’s attempt at creating a barricade didn’t work as the driver slapped the boy across his face before walking back to his car.
Following the slap, the unidentified driver gets out of his car and examines the front emblem, appearing to move it around before driving off, the cellphone video captured.
WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW:
Alfredo’s parents told the outlet they were angry about the incident and explained because of their son’s autism, he often explores the environment around him through touch.
Alfredo’s father, Miguel Morales, is looking for answers and seeking justice for his son.
The older Morales, said he is going to file a police report into the incident, along with the footage from the video, according to KTLA.
A call was made to the Los Angeles Police Department at the time of the incident but by the time officers arrived at the bus, everyone was gone, Foz 11 LA reported.
The 2023 S-class sedan was purchased in Valencia in April of 2024 and cost around $146,000, according to the Daily Mail.
I’m shocked that people on here act as though people with autism can’t learn and telling others to read up and learn. Complete ignorance! Autistic kids learn but it requires parents who don’t just sit around making excuses or blame others. This sister shouldn’t be in charge of taking care of her brother if she isn’t up to it. Caring for someone with autism is very hard and requires all your attention and patience. Having an autistic child doesn’t mean others have to tolerate my child breaking their property they worked for.
If that kid had problems, his sister should have watched him better. Coming from a small town, where half of the kids have autism, we don’t have that situation here, the parents keep them at home. Sorry, I don’t blame that guy for slapping that kid. By the way are these people even legal here? Maybe they shouldn’t make such a big deal of this!
Nothin’ wrong with a good ol’ fashioned slap to wisen him up. Just because we have morality doesn’t mean we should repress all our natural instincts especially with someone who has learning disorders. You could probably try to sit this kid down and explain ’til your blue in the face how to behave and what, he’s just gonna’ smile at ya’ and not take you seriously. Slap the fucker.
The guy shouldn’t have hit this kid but the sister knew her brothers behavior and should been paying attention so he doesn’t do these things. I have kids with autism in my family and we always keep a close eye on them in public places. Otherwise how will they learn and as they get older consequences could be much worse. This is LA, people shoot people for no reason seems like most everyday. This could been so much worse. People acting like someone just gave this guy a Mercedes, I would guess he worked for it.
100%
Besides, you don’t know if he was “illegal” or not. And to assume doesn’t make you look smart. You also don’t know if he worked hard for that car. He sounds like an entitled brat.
You, Anonymous, are an imbecile. You perhaps should research autism. The stupid driver had no business slapping a child. No child, especially one with special needs, should be slapped. He was told the child had autism, yet slapped him anyway. It’s criminal and if he can’t control his anger or keep his hands to himself, he’s a bully and has terrible issues. He needs intense therapy, along with you. Y’all aren’t normal. Besides, it’s just a car. There are more important things in life than “things” to make you feel important. He’s a bully and has to pick on those lesser than him because he can’t be boss of anyone else. It’s people like y’all they make the world a terrible place.
So you think kids with autism can’t learn? That makes you appear to be a imbecile. Kids with autism can learn routine is the key. Correcting them over and over is how they learn. I know this since my nephew is autistic. You have to be prepared when you’re with them in public all the time. You know your autistic child so you know what to watch for. Granted this guy shouldn’t have hit him but does this family that lives in the park have the money to fix what their son breaks? Probably not! The family said he explores through touch well then maybe his sister should have walked between him and the cars and held his hand. Someday he will be an adult and the consequences will be worse. This family needs not wait til he does something wrong, they need to watch for what he’s about to do and stop it before it happens. This guy isn’t a bully he would never have gotten out of his car except for this kid grabbing something he shouldn’t have. Blaming others won’t help this young boy.
The driver had a $146,000 car. No indication that it was stolen; he worked hard for it. Father of kid doesn’t speak English and lives in a park – is he legal? Kid thinks it’s OK to destroy the property of others. This is a no-brainer. Parents should control their kids.
Anonymous MORON, Autism is not a behavior problem anybody can control.
There is absolutely NO GOOD REASON why an adult would hit any child even if he did not know he was disabled.
I hope Karma has some good remedy for your dark heart.
If u dont know about autism i will think U should go read it up as U ARE A MORON.
BECAUSE STUPIDITY IN UR CASE IS PROBABLY GENETIC…LOL
People with Autism do not think as we do. Plus, the kid is only 10. Even a normal 10-year old child has not usually gained enough self-control to always respect the property of others; much less an autistic child.
The entitlement assumed by that car owner enrages me. The only charges that would apply to him would be assault on a minor, and perhaps child abuse. Maybe 30 days in the slammer to give the car owner some thinking time….
Regardless, the guy needs to be charged for battery on a minor.
The kid earned the slap.
AGREED!
The morons calalling you a moron would be happy to have their property damaged !