RED LAKE COUNTY, MN (trfnews.i234.me) – A Brooks, Minnesota, man faces serious criminal charges after a disturbing video surfaced showing him brutally beating a 12-year-old child.
Joseph Cole Wulfson, 34, is charged with felony child torture, gross misdemeanor malicious punishment of a child, and misdemeanor domestic assault. The felony child torture charge carries a potential 25-year sentence, although Minnesota’s sentencing guidelines suggest a sentence between two and nine years based on the defendant’s criminal history.
According to a probable cause statement, law enforcement became aware of the incident on July 11, which allegedly occurred on July 6. The video revealed Wulfson headbutting, hitting, and shoving the child for approximately two-and-a-half minutes. The child was hit around 25 times and knocked down three times during the assault.
Throughout the video, Wulfson can be heard telling the child to “get mad” and calling them names. Police identified Wulfson as the man in the video.
Officers visited the child’s home and spoke with their sibling, who said the 12-year-old had been sent to their grandparents’ house. The sibling explained that the incident began when they left knives too close to the edge of the counter while doing dishes, which angered Wulfson. The child then lied about it, leading to the violent episode, which was captured by an outdoor camera.
The children’s mother, who witnessed the incident via the camera, reportedly yelled at Wulfson to stop while at work.
Wulfson was arrested on July 12 following a traffic stop. At the Red Lake County Sheriff’s Office, he admitted to disciplining the child and acknowledged that his actions were excessive.
Wulfson’s bond was set at $30,000 cash or surety on July 15. He remains in custody, and an omnibus hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. on August 14.