"John" COLLINS - 14 yo - Davenport IA

A Davenport father who allegedly chained a
detached bumper from a 1979 Camaro to his son's ankle is facing a
criminal charge after police say he admitted to doing so in an
attempt to keep the 14-year-old from running away.

Richard Allen Collins, 37, of 1516 W. Seventh St., is accused of
child endangerment with bodily injury. His brother, James Harry
Collins, 43, of the same address, is accused of assault with
injury.

Authorities became involved late Sunday afternoon when Richard
Collins called the police reporting his 14-year-old son was out of
control.

According to reports:

The teen ran away from his father's house on Wednesday because
"his father routinely beats and hits him," the police report
states. The teen had visible signs of injury to his face.

He found a ride to Wilton, Iowa, where he was picked up by the
police for jaywalking. The police called Richard Collins to pick up
his son Sunday, but the teen said he did not want to go home with
his father because he was afraid of being beaten.

The teen did eventually leave the police department with his
dad, who arrived with James Collins to pick him up.

In the car on the way back to Davenport, there was a physical
altercation between Richard Collins and his son. It is disputed as
to whether it was just Richard Collins hitting his son, or if both
participated, police reports indicate.

Once at the house, the physical altercation continued. Richard
Collins told his son to go to his room. Reports indicate the
14-year-old damaged items in his room and threatened to run away
again.

Richard and James Collins then wrapped a log chain around the
teen's ankle and padlocked it. The opposite end of the chain was
attached to what was later described as a heavy car bumper
retrieved from the garage.

The windows in the teen's bedroom are screwed shut, the police
report noted, also to prevent the teen from running away.

The car bumper was left chained to the teen's ankle for up to 30
minutes. After it was unhooked, Richard Collins called the
police.

The Iowa Department of Human Services is involved. The teen was
released to his mother.