A 10-year-old autistic boy who was slapped by a Mercedes driver for deliberately damaging the luxury sedan has been flooded with GoFundMe money.
More than $30,000 in donations was raised for Alfredo Morales after he was filmed being slapped by an adult man for damaging the hood ornament of his $146,000 S-Class sedan.
The filmed attack took place at Laurel Canyon Boulevard and Osbourne Street in Pacoima, according to KTLAThe man’s license plate was later shared by the person behind the camera.
In the footage, Alfredo’s 10-year-old sister, who speaks Spanish, tells the driver, who is wearing sunglasses, “I’m sorry, (my brother) is autistic,” after which the driver slaps her and drives off. The boy’s family has filed a complaint with the police.
The Morales family is homeless, which has led a family friend to help Alfredo with a GoFundMe Campaign.
“(Alfredo) has severe autism and his family is in desperate need of help,” organizers wrote.
A GoFundMe campaign has been launched for a 10-year-old autistic boy from California, Alfredo Morales (pictured, bottom center), who was slapped in the face by a Mercedes driver after the boy damaged the car’s hood ornament.
“Any help would be greatly appreciated by them. They are currently homeless and any help would help them find housing.”
The campaign has been a huge success, raising over $30,000 for the homeless family, surpassing the original goal of $10,000.
Morales’ family currently lives in a truck, KTLA reported. Alfredo and his brothers take the same route every day to get food for the family.
The unidentified motorist is seen hitting 10-year-old Alfredo Morales seconds after inspecting the damage on Monday, which is estimated to cost about $500 to repair.
The car itself costs just over $146,000 and was purchased just over a year ago from a Southern California dealer, a vehicle history report shows.
A man named Alex Manzo, a complete unknown, is credited with launching the Gofundme after seeing her plight on social media.
“I don’t know the family personally,” Manzo said. “I just saw (their story) on Instagram and we got upset.”
“They need a lot of resources that can help, so everything is of great help and we are here. We have all the love of the family. They gave us that trust and we will continue to give it back to them.”
Footage shows the moment a Mercedes driver slapped a child for bending the car’s bonnet ornament.
The unidentified driver is seen hitting the boy seconds after assessing the damage, which is believed to cost about $500 to repair. The incident took place Monday in Pacoima, 20 miles from Los Angeles.
A local rapper named Swifty Blue not only offered to fix the family’s truck, but also put them in touch with a lawyer to help find the man who slapped his son.
“I will do everything in my power to help them,” said Antonio Villegas, the family’s attorney. “And I don’t just mean filing some kind of lawsuit, but getting them resources to turn this tragic situation into something that helps improve their lives.”
Local journalists have been able to identify the attacker, but have not revealed his name. He is said to have been out of town when contacted for comment.
The unidentified motorist is seen hitting 10-year-old Alfredo Morales seconds after inspecting the damage on Monday, which is estimated to cost about $500 to repair.
The car itself costs just over $146,000 and was purchased just over a year ago from a Southern California dealer, a vehicle history report shows.
The network identified the boy as Morales, 10, and confirmed that his family has autism.
“I’m sorry, he’s autistic,” the woman can be heard saying in the original video, recorded on a mobile phone. “He has special needs.”
The man, unfazed, proceeds to approach the brothers, while the woman is seen trying to calm the child and at the same time plead her case.
The filmed attack appears to have taken place in Southern California, as suggested by the cedar trees, palm trees and street signs in the background, as well as the attacker’s license plate, which was later shared by the person behind the camera.
In the footage, the boy’s sister, who speaks Spanish, tells the driver: “I’m sorry, (my son) is autistic, he has special needs.”
Within seconds, the man is standing in front of the two and quickly raises his hand to strike him. He strikes the boy’s face with an open palm, before sternly pointing his finger at the now cowering young man.
He then walks away and returns to his car, chest puffed out and hands at his sides.
A voice is then heard shouting, in English, “What the hell is wrong with you?”, after which the man returns, this time to inspect the damage.
He grabs the nearly dismembered ornament before heading back to the driver’s side door of the S-Class in apparent disgust, after which more onlookers shout for someone to intervene.
“No, stop him!” a female voice is heard shouting as the man opens the door and prepares to leave. He appears to be scolding another bystander before taking a seat.
The man then starts the car and speeds away, but not before filming its license plate.
They also shared a still image of the man’s Mercedes badge slightly bent, which appeared to be the only damage sustained by the expensive car.
Meanwhile, footage of the incident is circulating on social media as the boy’s father, Miguel Morales, revealed to KTLA that the boy has autism and regularly touches objects around him to explore his surroundings.
The man proceeds to slap the child and walk away. The incident took place on Monday, according to witnesses.
The car itself costs just over $146,000 and was purchased just over a year ago from a dealer in Southern California, a vehicle history report shows.
The man continues on his way, but not before the person who recorded the encounter has had a good look at his license plate. He has not yet been identified.
Public records indicated the car he touched was purchased in Valencia in April 2024, from Mercedes-Benz of Valencia.
The sedan is a 2023 model year and was purchased for a price of $146,350.
DailyMail.com has contacted the California Highway Patrol to see if the license plate is linked to any active criminal cases and has filed a public records request for more information.
The middle-aged man seen in the footage has not yet been formally identified and could be charged with assault of a minor, which, depending on the trauma caused, could be considered a misdemeanor or a felony.
If convicted, he could face up to six years in prison.
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