Teen girl forced into Renaissance sword battle

OLYMPIA, Wash. - What began as a man's attempt to discipline his child turned into a sordid case of abuse when police say the Washington man forced his 16-year-old daughter to don Renaissance armor and engage in a wooden sword battle for two hours, reports CBS station YELM Seattle

Freemon Everett Seay, 38, wanted to punish his daughter for a recent attempt to run away from home, Sgt. Ken Clark of the Thurston County Sheriff's Office told YELM.

Seay, a Renaissance fair enthusiast, has been arrested for the Oct. 16 beating.

He apparently started by beating the girl with a willow switch before donning armor and forcing her into a two-hour battle between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m.

When the girl was reportedly no longer able to stand on her own, he relented. But his daughter quickly took action, texting pictures of her bruises and injuries to friends, who promptly alerted the authorities.

"He started with switches off a tree. In Washington State, it's all about reasonable action ... (and) you can (legally) give a kid a spanking," Clark said. "But this goes beyond discipline, and into the realm of abuse."

Thurston County Sheriff's Lt. Greg Elwin says Seay was arrested on suspicion of second-degree assault with a deadly weapon on Sunday. His wife, Julie May Seay, was arrested on suspicion of second-degree assault with a deadly weapon as an accessory. Court papers says she is the young woman's stepmother and works at the Loving and Learning Childcare Center.

Julie Seay was not actively involved in the abuse, according to the police report. However, she was aware of what was happening, and allegedly made no motion to protect the child in any way.

"She had a responsibility to defend her stepdaughter," Clark said.

The case is still in its early stages, and in the state of Washington, the prosecutor's office decides whether or not to press charges and continue with a trial. It remains to be seen whether the Seays will be brought up on charges.

Seay was released on bail Oct. 18.

[collinejojo]

The older this country gets the less civilized it becomes.

[PatDaddy67]

Look, I'm a 6'2" 300lb man who fights in the SCA because it's fun. Before you call me a loser, I'm also an engineer who makes a good living. I would never want to hit an un-armored, un-willing individual with my rattan sword. The thing weighs about 3-4 lbs and lands like a brick. It should never be used as a disciplinary tool.

[daisy3410]

funny how nobody here has the "real" story, but so many of them "defend" the girl. Did you really get all the information? Do you really know what happened? Do you really know how evil these parents were or how evil that girl was? But your all very quick to defend that girl and show you own intelligence levels? What was the original fight about? How did it become the step moms fault because she didn't want to interfere with her husbands punishment issues with his teen daughter - who evidently doesn't suffer too much if she has a cell phone and internet access to be able to send out pictures of her own behind. I'm sure she had to show all her friends her switched bottom. And I'd also be willing to bet that he only used it as a paddle, because the switch didn't work. That does not make a bad parent, it makes a one that knows how to discipline, increasing each time. The biggest problems today are because parents are afraid of hurting their own children. If youd just smack their bottoms instead of teaching them how to use drugs the world would be in a much better place. And kids would know how to be responsible for their own actions. All the coddling parents get to blame themselves when their kids don't learn how to survive by the time they are 18. So when they insist on being raised until they are 45, mom, thats your fault. You never learned how to paddle.

[iamtim2]

"Do you really know what happened? "

YES. A guy attacked his daughter with a sword. For two hours. HOW do you find nothing wrong with that?

You are a sick individual.

[HarryJohnson2008]

Daisy3410, you are a sick moron. There is no possible explanation on earth that would justify a parent attacking their child with a sword for two hours. End of story.

[kainos2]

Just can't figure out why a girl would want to run away from parents like hers...

[Corin91]

Who wants to bet he's a 'good christian'? :)

[Allergic2BS]

*** u and your anti-faith BS....all you ignorant ******** need to get it straight. Religion is not the root of problems...its your government ******.I would have beat a girl like her too. At least she had armor on your morons. And yet, they arrest the stepmom who had nothing to do with it....welcome to the United Militia States...where FEMA will now run your life....good-bye all you stupid americans.

[leestrain]

I've heard of going Medieval on someone but....

[The_Great_Humungus_]

At least she had armor...

[mebekili]

Well, he certainly demonstrated why she needed to run away in the first place. ye gads!

[coriolana]

daddy is gonna be singing a different tune when he has nothing but an orange jumpsuit between him and Bubba's 'lance'.

[me!]

What he should have done was let her run away and then change all the locks on the door.

[HarryJohnson2008]

No, what we should do is let you run away and change the locks on the country. Moron.