Tacoma man accused of choking foster son

A Tacoma man is in jail after he allegedly choked his 13-year-old foster son, according to court records.

Dwayne Desmone Mitchell, 24, pleaded not guilty Friday to second-degree child assault.

Court records did not list his attorney.

Court Commissioner Meagan Foley ordered him released on personal recognizance pending trial. She ruled that the only children Mitchell can have contact with are his biological kids.

Charging papers give this account:

Tacoma police got a report of alleged abuse July 2.

The 13-year-old said Mitchell grabbed him by his shirt, picked him up, and slammed him against a wall. The man choked him with his hands, and afterward the boy’s neck hurt and he could not breathe normally.

The boy’s brother told police that Mitchell choked the 13-year-old as he held him against the wall on his tiptoes. The boy grunted and his face turned red, the brother said.

Another brother said he saw the choking as well.

The foster children were not living in the home when Mitchell was arrested Thursday, the prosecutor’s office said. They reported the alleged abuse after they’d left the home.

This story was originally published July 13, 2015 at 6:11 PM with the headline "Tacoma man accused of choking foster son."