Parents should be in agreement on discipline whatever the type, and talk privately about differences IMO. If the father was angry or out of control why didn’t she stop him?
I didn't see different names in the article. He may have been a proverbial rotten step-father who thinks he's a real dad.
I agree with both statements ... and that's the reason I'll back up the police officer for now. If the mom was upset enough to call police, she was probably upset while it was going on. Which to me indicates the father didn't care she was upset and was probably out of control.
I do believe in discipline and that physical discipline is sometimes warrented (and that there probably isn't a kid where physical discipline was never warranted.) But I also believe the parent has to be in control. To me that can often be the fine line between strong discipline and abuse -- the parent can not be out of control.
Although saying that, I'm reminded of an old Rosanne Barr line
"People say you should never hit your kids in anger. When should I hit them? When I'm happy with them?"