A 42-year-old Marine Corps veteran, Zachary Perez, is accused of abusing his 6-year-old stepson, torturing the boy with a dog leash in Florida.
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As reported by Law & Crime, citing videos of the alleged abuse, the boy is allegedly seen with a pink dog leash attached to his neck, with Perez walking him in his backyard. At one moment, the video shows the boy allegedly being pulled by Perez, making him fall to the ground.
Other videos also depict instances of alleged abuse. One of them reportedly shows the boy walking around with a backpack filled with rocks, according to authorities. Another video shows the boy jumping on his bed. Then, Perez allegedly entered the room and kicked him somewhere between his stomach and head.
“Get your f—ing shoes on b—h,” Perez told the boy, according to authorities.
Another video allegedly shows Perez chasing down the 6-year-old with a wooden stick.
It wasn’t until the boy’s mother reported the alleged abuse to authorities that Perez was arrested in May 2025. He was charged with one count of aggravated child abuse resulting in great bodily harm. He pleaded not guilty to the charge and was released on house arrest in June.
Alleged Abuse
As reported by WPLG, a Miami-Dade County Sheriff’s Office deputy testified about the alleged abuse the 6-year-old was subjected to. The deputy claimed that the boy had been punched in the face multiple times. He also mentioned how Zachary Perez allegedly put a dog leash on him.
The deputy stated that the boy had numerous marks caused by a tree branch, swollen eyes from being hit, and a rash on his neck, caused by the leash.
Additionally, the deputy also revealed alleged text messages sent by Perez to the boy’s mother. According to the deputy, he was going to “make her pay,” with messages such as “Get home” or “You’ll remember Mother’s Day.”
Assistant State Attorney Wily Wisset stated in court that, following Perez’s arrest, multiple women who were previously involved with the Marine vet reported being witnesses or victims of abuse on his behalf, according to WTVJ.
Prosecutors alleged that Perez had threatened to kill some of this woman, his ex-wife, his children, and “everybody.”
Perez’s next court appearance is scheduled for August 28.
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, you can reach the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233. You can also chat with a representative at thehotline.org​ or by texting “START” to 88788.