Iowa City Police: Man Charged with Felony Child Endangerment After Assaulting 15-Year-Old Nephew

An Iowa City man is charging felony child endangerment charges after his nephew called the police on him following a physical encounter.

According to an Iowa City Police complaint, on Feb. 9 at 8:42 p.m. a 15-year-old-male called police to tell them he had been assaulted by his uncle, who stands at 6'2" and 230 pounds. 

When the police arrived at the address on Coneflower Court, they found the boy's uncle Shawn Deandre Mead Martin, 28, at the residence. Martin told officers that he had been disciplining the boy. The boy told officers that Martin had been physically and verbally abusive toward him, allegedly pushing him, punching him, and grabbing him by his neck before directing the boy's head into the corner of a wall, causing a large contusion.

Officers reported that they observed torn window blinds and damage to the wall where the dispute had taken place. They also recovered a ripped t-shirt the boy had been wearing. Martin was arrested and charged with felony child endangerment with bodily injury, a Class D felony. He is currently in the Johnson County Jail on a $7,500 cash only bond.