Round Lake Park Officer Not Guilty Of Paddling 5-Year-Old

ROUND LAKE PARK, IL — A Lake County jury found a Round Lake Park police officer not guilty of paddling his then-girlfriend's daughter in April 2019. According to the Lake County State's Attorney's office, the Chicago Tribune reported Waymon G. Vela, 56, of the 21600 block of West Grass Lake Road in unincorporated Antioch, was found not guilty of two misdemeanor counts of battery, one claiming bodily harm and one claiming physical contact, in the case involving his now-wife's 5-year-old. The Chicago Tribune said defense attorney Eric Rinehart told the jury it was the girl’s mother who used a paddle to strike the girl.

Back in April, the sheriff's office said the investigation into a report revealed Vela hit his girlfriend's daughter several times on the lower back with a paddle, causing injuries to the girl. The child was taken to a local hospital for medical treatment and evaluation, the sheriff's office reported.

Related: Round Lake Park Cop Beat 5-Year-Old With Paddle, Placed On Leave

Vela was immediately placed on unpaid administrative leave, stripped of his police powers and an internal investigation has been opened, Round Lake Park Police Department Chief George Filenko told Patch in an email.