A 7-year-old Indiana boy was left with a bleeding mark on his forehead after a man allegedly tried to force a bar of soap into his mouth over a curse word, according to police. Daniel Schergen, 34, of LaPorte, is charged with felony domestic battery.

Authorities have not publicly specified Schergen's relationship to the child.

The incident allegedly happened in late August, as Schergen drove the boy, his girlfriend and three other children in an SUV. After one child was dropped off at football practice, the boy used what a witness described as a 'really bad' word.

Schergen allegedly stopped at a convenience store in Kingsbury and asked his girlfriend to buy a bar of soap. When she returned, he is accused of holding the boy's head against a car seat and trying to push the soap into his mouth.

Boy's Injuries Detailed in Court Records

The boy kept his mouth closed and struck and kicked Schergen several times during the struggle. The soap allegedly struck the child on the forehead, leaving a small, oval-shaped bleeding mark.

The child was crying and screaming. Schergen's girlfriend returned to the store to buy alcohol wipes and bandages to clean and cover the wound.

Photos taken by the boy's mother showed redness on his forehead and a bruise on his face. Schergen told investigators the redness came from holding the boy's head against the car seat, according to court documents.

Investigators also found that Schergen had forced soap into the boy's mouth on at least one earlier occasion. The Indiana Department of Child Services reported alleged physical abuse, and officers began investigating on 8 September.

Schergen was arrested on a warrant on 23 October and released from LaPorte County Jail five days later after posting a $750 (about £557) bond. If convicted, he could face six to 30 months in prison. He is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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What Experts Say About Head Injuries

Mayo Clinic explains that the forehead and scalp have a large blood supply, so injuries there often cause bleeding under the skin. Even a minor head bump can lead to a large swelling.

Johns Hopkins Medicine says a head injury can be as mild as a bump, bruise or cut, or as serious as a concussion or internal bleeding.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends calling a child's doctor for anything more than a light bump to the head. A child who stays alert, moves as usual and responds to a parent probably has a mild injury that needs no further testing.

Loss of consciousness, confusion or disorientation after a head injury calls for emergency care. A worsening headache, vomiting, trouble with balance, or blood or clear fluid from the nose or ears could signal a concussion.

Discipline Research and Legal Next Steps

Schergen told police the boy had struggled with his temper and had been suspended from school for hitting other children. He said he was trying to replace spanking with timeouts and conversations, but those methods were not always effective.

UNICEF guidance, drawing on advice from Oxford University professor Lucie Cluver, says shouting and hitting can do more harm than good. The 'toxic stress' they cause is linked to a higher risk of school dropout, depression, drug use, suicide and heart disease.

Positive discipline instead centres on clear instructions, praise for good behaviour and calm consequences. Parents are urged to follow through without showing anger, so that children learn responsibility and self-discipline.

LaPorte County Prosecutor Sean Fagan said state law allows parents to discipline their children, but not when the punishment is too extreme. 'When you're dealing with these kind of cases, you're always having to ask yourself how much is too much,' he said.

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