Judge William Adams Beating Of Teen With Cerebral Palsy Sparks Outrage (VIDEO)

Police in Rockport, Texas, have started an investigation after the alarming circulation of a video depicting the brutal abuse of a teenager with disabilities that was uploaded onto Reddit and YouTube.

Authorities are checking the veracity of the video and trying to determine whether a local judge was involved, they reported on Wednesday.

"We were made aware of the video last night and it has been assigned to our criminal investigation division. An investigation is ongoing at this time," Rockport Police Chief Tim Jayroe told The Huffington Post.

The seven-and-a-half minute clip, which has nearly a half-million views, shows a teenage girl being brutally beaten with belts by an older male and female. According to a description of the clip, the girl has ataxic cerebral palsy and is being punished for "using the Internet to acquire music and games that were unavailable for legal purchase" at the time.

"Bend over the f--king bed, dammit," the man says as he repeatedly beats the girl about her body with a belt. "Lay down or I'll spank your f--king face. ... I have to f--king beat you into submission. You want to put some more computer games on? You want some more? F--king computer... See all the problems they cause?"

WARNING: GRAPHIC VIDEO (Article Continues Below)

The video recently surfaced on video-sharing websites, triggering enormous outrage from viewers.

"This man is a monster and should be put in prison. He clearly enjoys whipping this girl," one viewer commented.

Another said, "These parents are a f--king waste of space and do not deserve to be breathing our air even living. I hope these parents burn in hell and are whipped every f--king second of their miserable time in hell."

A description of the video identifies the male abuser as Aransas County Court-At-Law Judge William Adams.

"Judge William Adams is not fit to be anywhere near the law system if he can’t even exercise fit judgment as a parent himself. Do not allow this man to ever be re-elected again. His 'judgment' is a giant farce. Signed, Hillary Adams, his daughter," the YouTube description says.

The person who wrote the video description does, however, defend the woman in the video.

"The judge's wife was emotionally abused herself and was severely manipulated into assisting the beating and should not be blamed for any content in this video," it says. "The judge's wife has since left the marriage due to the abuse, which continues to this day, and has sincerely apologized and repented for her part and for allowing such a thing, long before this video was even revealed to exist."

Chief Jayroe confirmed his department is investigating Judge Adams.

"We haven't confirmed the authenticity of the video yet or spoke with the person who made it," Jayroe said. "It appears to have been made in 2004. We have not verified anyone's participation in the video yet."

Earlier today, KRIS-TV spoke with Hillary Adams. She said she was 16 years old when the video was filmed.

"It had happened before and had been escalating," Adams told the news station. "I set up a camera, and I caught it."

Adams reportedly said the abuse had gone on for years and that she only recently decided to upload the video.

"My father's harassment was getting really bad, so I decided to finally publish the video that I had been sitting on for 7 years," Adams said.

Judge Adams himself spoke with the station Wednesday, claiming the beating was "not as bad as it looks on tape." He also told KRIS-TV that he had contacted Judicial Review in Austin and "more will come out during the investigation."

A phone listing for Judge Adams has been disconnected and officials at the Aransas County Court were unavailable for comment today.

Need help? In the U.S., call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) for the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

Clarification: A previous version of this article stated that Hillary Adams has mental disabilities. She has ataxic cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder that affects physical coordination.

Comments

[Brianna Cole]

09:46 AM on 12/07/2011

Sad. An open hand spanking is "usually" accepted as an acceptable punishment for a child. This is sickeningly... God, what is the word..... I'm so sorry for this person and others that are treated this way.

[106forme]

11:52 PM on 11/27/2011

hey he did what he had to do to correct his child.. you all have to right not to correct your child. that is your right, but if you do not than the system will.. she was hit with a belt not a stick not a rope not an extention cord.......... he did what HE HAD TOO. that is what some people call real parenting....

[Hammm]

02:30 PM on 11/23/2011

typical abuser's logic...it's all the victim's fault, she asked for it (paraphrased).

[KarenBryanBSRN]

11:59 AM on 11/13/2011

A restraining order has been put in place; this JUDGE has lost visitation it appears with the 10 year old younger child. As I posted to all here the key to this situation is the daughter he beat in the video may have been past the 5 year rule, however, if she comes forward for events the same or worse since the police verify it was wrong and he broke the law he will be charged properly it is nice to hear authorities are acting on this situation.

[matt gordon]

08:34 PM on 11/06/2011

Imagine what she would have recieved if dad found the camera.

[dbcsmom]

05:56 PM on 11/06/2011

I am a parent and a Christian. My husband and I have never spanked our children and they grew up to be fine upstanding adults. I firmly believe that people who spank do so out of anger, and justify it later that this is "proper upbringing." It takes a lot more work to be a strong parent that does not resort to violence than one who lashes out in anger.

I have also taught children for many, many years and I know for a fact that the children who are physically disciplined are more apt to strike out at others.

There is no excuse for what this father did.

[Leto II]

02:59 PM on 11/07/2011

Your personal anecdote is not a 'one size fits all' for everyone. In fact, I disagree with you. I was spanked in many similar ways this girl was. I have many friends (of different cultures and upbringings) who were also spanked. We all turned out just 'fine'. My definition of 'fine' is no criminal record, all college grads, gainfully employed, tax paying and law biding citizens.

"I know for a fact that the children who are physically discipline­d are more apt to strike out at others."

Sorry, but your arm chair psychology is baseless. Again, I and my friends who were disciplined are not 'more apt to strike out at others'. We are loving parents who reserve the right to spank our children when it's warranted. Even if it may offend other people's sensibilities.

[amluvinit2]

06:54 PM on 11/08/2011

Spanking argument #1 - “Spanking is an effective way to manage behavior”

Hitting a small child will usually stop misbehavior temporarily. However, other ways of discipline such as verbal correction, reasoning, and time-out work as well and do not have the potential for harm that hitting does. Hitting children may actually increase misbehavior. One large study showed that the more parents spanked children for antisocial behavior, the more the antisocial behavior increased (Straus, Sugarman, & Giles-Sims, 1997). The more children are hit, the more likely they are to hit others including peers and siblings and, as adults, they are more likely to hit their spouses (Straus and Gelles, 1990; Wolfe, 1987). Hitting children teaches them that it is acceptable to hit others who are smaller and weaker. “I'm going to hit you because you hit your sister” is a hypocrisy not lost on children.

[amluvinit2]

06:54 PM on 11/08/2011

Being spanked is an emotional event. Adults often remember with crystal clarity times they were paddled or spanked as children. Many adults look back on corporal punishment in childhood with great anger and sadness. Sometimes people say, “I was spanked as a child, and I deserved it”. It is hard for us to believe that people who loved us would intentionally hurt us. We feel the need to excuse that hurt. Studies show that even a few instances of being hit as children are associated with more depressive symptoms as adults (Strauss, 1994, Strassberg, Dodge, Pettit & Bates, 1994). A landmark meta-analysis of 88 corporal punishment research studies of over six decades showed that corporal punishment of children was associated with negative outcomes including increased delinquent and antisocial behavior, increased risk of child abuse and spousal abuse, increased risk of child aggression and adult aggression, decreased child mental health and decreased adult mental health (Gershoff, 2002). While most of us who were spanked “turned out OK”, it is likely that not being spanked would have helped us turn out to be healthier.

[irretaklove]

02:42 PM on 11/11/2011

personaly my parents spanked me but nothing like that mayb one or two padles but not with a belt and nothing like that i understand i mean there are just some kids that dont understand when they have to listen so yes mayb a tap not NOTHING like this never!

[LONERIDER302]

12:11 AM on 11/07/2011

Hate to say it, but you might want to slow down. :-)

[radarloveu2]

12:21 PM on 11/07/2011

lmao you my friend are one warped individual lol

[TheTruthSayer]

04:27 PM on 11/05/2011

I don't know about the rest of the world, but there is a serious lack of discipline in lives of American children. Most have an absentee father, and or weak mothers who more often want to attempt be their children's pal, instead of a strong role model. The girl in this video continually disobeys her parents, WITHIN the video itself! She was told over and over to roll over on her stomach so they could whip her behind, and she refused to do so, thinking (quite incorrectly) that she wouldn't get any licks should she not comply. I have no idea how many times she was told not to do what she did on the computer, (and neither do you) but if it was anything like what she did in the video, I can understand the parents' frustration. The majority of parents out there are way, WAY too permissive with their kids, and let them cruise the streets and the internet with impunity. The problem is, the streets and the internet don't care about your child, one little bit. The streets and the internet want your kids to have sex far too early for them to grasp the real consequences of their actions. The judge went too far, by cursing and yelling, but at no time was the girl's safety threatened, nor was she ever in danger of being seriously injured. It just didn't happen.

[Sursum]

01:03 PM on 11/06/2011

I respectfully disagree with the opinion that this was in any way appropriate or even effective discipline. I do agree that there is, in some families and in some children, a lack of teaching of self-control and discipline. But humiliation and violence are note the way to do it.

[Wanda Wyatt]

08:26 PM on 11/06/2011

I agree there is a way to punish--this man crossed over the boundaries of good parenting and his wife joined him.

[LONERIDER302]

12:17 AM on 11/07/2011

Works pretty good in Singapore..They use a cane on young ones, and adults. We could use some of that here. Oh well, wishful thinking.

[Wanda Wyatt]

08:25 PM on 11/06/2011

This is not Tough Love--it is Child Abuse. Get real!

[LONERIDER302]

12:19 AM on 11/07/2011

You qualify for a whipping..

[rogiec123]

01:34 PM on 11/05/2011

This is not a judge! It was posted yesterday that he would not face charges because to much time had past. How can that be? This is a child with a disability who wanted to play computer games and her parents handled it this way?! How can they not face charges? Child abuse is not acceptable!!! This man is a monster who does not deserve children and his wife is no better! How can anyone justify this type of parental behavior and not face charges? That fact alone is a crime. Texas, evedently has no child abuse laws and parents can do whatever they please. We try clergy who abuse children, we abuse parents for far less child abuse offenses and because this thing is a judge "to much time has past." In many clergy cases 40 and 50 years have past, but that doesn't stop the law from taking it's course. Just because this creature is a "judge" does not, in any way, put him above the law. He should be prosecuted and imprisoned for his actions and his wife should be right next to him in guilt and punishment.

[HsiaLin Boy]

05:35 PM on 11/05/2011

I think she was looking at porn, and she got what any kid should get if they disobey their parents.

[jasont87]

05:34 AM on 11/06/2011

Fuck parents.

[Wanda Wyatt]

08:27 PM on 11/06/2011

Please don't ever have any children until you learn how to be a loving and caring parent.

[LONERIDER302]

12:21 AM on 11/07/2011

It is evident you did not read the article thoroughly.

[truth be told again]

10:17 AM on 11/05/2011

Apparently, a copy of, "To Train Up A Child" was found in the "judge's" home. It is a "Christian" manifesto on how to beat your child into submission and get away with it in the name of Jayzus.

Puke-making.

[Richard Conquerer]

04:37 PM on 11/05/2011

According to the old testament, you're supposed to murder a child who is disobedient. It's sad that the Bible is even MORE ruthless.

[Darter75]

01:44 PM on 11/06/2011

Interesting. I never read about the book "To Train Up A Child" being found in the judge's home. You wouldn't lie to make a point..now would you?? Making fun of the name of Jesus shows your childishness and your desire to somehow link this to Christians. Silly child.

[truth be told again]

10:13 AM on 11/05/2011

To paraphrase from the ending of the great American movie, Chinatown, "It's TEXAS, Jake. It's Texas."

[Wanda Wyatt]

08:30 PM on 11/06/2011

So what is that supposed to mean? You get by with Child Abuse?

[LONERIDER302]

02:19 AM on 11/05/2011

All the whinners on here have no clue, as to what it takes to be a good parent. Whip out of love, to correct bad behavior, when all the niceness has failed. That child will become a better person. No one else can judge you for doing whats right. It's time to move on to another story.

[merrymico]

08:42 AM on 11/05/2011

You are sick, you need help.

[truth be told again]

10:11 AM on 11/05/2011

"Whip out of love"

I nominate this for oxyMORON of the decade.

[Add In Canadia]

10:50 PM on 11/04/2011

A shame no charges will come out of this. Still, I'm sure the family would have claimed to be a down to earth, wholesome American family with wholesome American values. Certainly reflected in that people would elect this 'father' to be a judge.

[KarenBryanBSRN]

09:49 AM on 11/06/2011

All she has to do since they said the video is valid proof of his behavior is document dates since that event where he did the same and let's face it he did this all the time.

[dave hilton]

08:23 PM on 11/04/2011

ohh my wow things that familys hide. i grew up that way as well that was the 70s my sister as well turned him in the more u move the more they beat,fom head to toe till he saw blood coming from ur body ,i know exactley how she feels from expierence the only thing was i was forced to visit in prision til he died there in the 80s ,shes a great wowmen for what she did even people higher up do bad things as well,theres just not enough peop comming forward today

[Wanda Wyatt]

08:40 PM on 11/06/2011

God bless you--were you ever able to forgive him?

[geebo2b]

07:04 PM on 11/04/2011

He is a bully and abuser. This is not 'discipline'. True discipline keeps respect and love intact. This instilled fear, anger, vengeance and bitterness in the girl. I understand. My dad was a bully and very violent in his discipline. AND it was sporadic, sudden based on if it happened to PO him at the moment. He died of a heart attack many years ago and I never missed him.
Take away her computer privileges, etc. grown man beating helpless girl with belt..ABUSE and violent!!