Father arrested after grabbing 10-year-old boy by neck and allegedly strangling him during argument over water guns

A Florida man has been arrested after allegedly choking a 10-year-old boy who got into a water gun fight with his son.

Police arrested Robert Sandy Marcu, 60, after he was accused of grabbing the child by the neck and shaking him so badly that he couldn’t breathe.

Authorities say the child was known to the suspect and was playing with his 8-year-old son at the time.

The incident happened around 6 p.m. Monday at Gwen Margolis Park in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, about 20 miles north of Miami.

The 10-year-old boy’s father called police to report the incident after his son told him what happened, according to ABC affiliate WPLG. Officers noted the child had red marks and scratches on his neck. The authorities then took Mr. Marcu into custody.

Police told the outlet that the two boys had had problems as children and had argued again on Monday before Mr. Marcu intervened.

The father was charged with aggravated child abuse and assault by strangulation.

He remains in custody at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Facility in Miami. His bail has been set at $5,000.