“Horrific” barely begins to describe the scenes captured on home surveillance in May: a six-year-old boy, his neck encircled by a pink dog collar, forced to run with a backpack full of rocks, while his stepfather, Iraq Marine veteran Zachary Perez, held the leash and filmed the ordeal. Prosecutors revealed that Perez didn’t stop there. Videos obtained by NBC South Florida showed him kicking the child in both the living room and bedroom, yanking him to the ground, and chasing him with a stick. The physical aftermath? Swollen eyes, scratches, and a raw rash from the collar—visible reminders of two days of relentless abuse.
The legal system responded swiftly. Perez was arrested and initially denied bail, but later released to house arrest under strict orders to stay away from his stepson and the boy’s mother. Prosecutors are now seeking five separate injunctions, including one for alleged violence against Perez’s 14-year-old daughter. The case has drawn multiple victims forward, each reporting similar abuse, painting a chilling picture of a pattern rather than an isolated incident.
Perez’s defense pointed to his military service, citing PTSD, hearing loss, and multiple surgeries from three overseas tours. His mother claimed, “He has post-traumatic stress disorder, hearing problems and has had multiple surgeries after serving three tours overseas.” But Amanda Altman, CEO of Kristi House, a children’s advocacy center, told NBC, “The child probably has emotional, psychological, perhaps even physical trauma and injuries that he would have suffered from this horrific abuse.” Altman also raised the question, “What trauma would he had suffered that he never got the proper intervention to overcome? Certainly possible those things affected his decisions later in life.”
This case is a stark reminder of how trauma can ripple through generations. Research shows that over 80% of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans report at least one adverse childhood experience, and about 40% report four or more (adverse childhood experiences and risk for suicidal behavior in male Iraq and Afghanistan veterans). Veterans with a history of childhood trauma are more likely to develop PTSD and struggle with adult relationships, especially when compounded by combat exposure (childhood trauma exposure in Iraq and Afghanistan war era veterans). The military, in turn, has ramped up efforts to provide integrated mental health care, embedding behavioral health specialists within units and offering intensive outpatient and residential programs for PTSD (PTSD programs and services in the Department of Defense). Yet, as experts note, these services are often siloed, and long-term follow-up is inconsistent.
When it comes to protecting children, legal safeguards are in place but not foolproof. Child protective services and the courts can remove children from dangerous environments, but studies show that both foster care and remaining at home carry risks for emotional stress and adjustment difficulties (elder abuse intervention: lessons from child abuse and domestic violence). Restraining orders and mandatory reporting laws have improved child safety, but true healing requires years of support—counseling, education, and community resources.
For perpetrators, especially those with trauma histories, treatment is complex. Cognitive-behavioral approaches, anger management, and group therapy can help, but participation rates are low unless mandated by the courts. Recidivism remains high, underscoring the need for early intervention and coordinated community responses.
The psychological scars for children subjected to such abuse are deep. Experts like Amanda Altman stress that the trauma is not just physical but emotional and psychological, potentially shaping the child’s future relationships and mental health. In the words of Altman, “I would be looking at the perpetrator’s own past, what happened to him… Certainly possible those things affected his decisions later in life.”
Cases like this force a reckoning—not just with the immediate horror, but with the generational impact of untreated trauma, the limits of our legal and protective systems, and the urgent need for better support for both survivors and those at risk of becoming perpetrators. The conversation is far from over, but every detail—every video, every injury, every legal action—adds urgency to the call for change.
