Suspected Child Predator’s Face Bloodied After Being Caught Allegedly Molesting Relative’s Kids

A North Carolina man had his face bashed in while visiting relatives in Virginia for the holidays after he was allegedly caught molesting two young children by the children’s father—who delivered the bloody beating.

The Spotsylvania Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that the incident began in the early morning hours Sunday after the children’s father woke up early and decided to check on his two children, ages 2 and 3.

But when he went into their bedroom, he found Mark Stanley—a relative who had been staying with the family for the holidays—naked from the waist down allegedly molesting the children, authorities said. The father questioned what Stanley was doing but Stanley “pushed the family member out of the room” and then locked the door, the sheriff’s office said.

Sheriff’s Capt. Liz Scott told The Freelance-Star the father was able to push his way back into the room and began to beat Stanley.

“It was an absolutely horrible incident,” she said.

When deputies arrived at the house a short time later after receiving a 911 call in which only screaming could be heard, they found the father approaching Stanley—who had “severe injuries to his face”—with a gun.

The deputies instructed the irate father to drop the weapon and he agreed to follow the orders. Scott believes the timing of the deputies' arrival could have saved Stanley’s life.

It’s not clear who placed the 911 call that alerted authorities to the home.

Stanley—who can be seen with a mangled face in his mug shot—is now facing two counts of indecent liberties and one count of domestic assault. The sheriff’s office said it's possible additional charges could be filed in the case.

He was initially taken to the hospital to receive treatment for his injuries before being booked into the Rappahannock Regional Jail, authorities said. He is being held without bail.

The father was not charged in the incident.