A local man has been accused of spanking his two children to the point that they started to bruise.

Austin Chamberlain, 44, has been charged with child endangerment causing bodily injury.

According to an Iowa City police complaint, Chamberlain has two children under the age of 12. The children’s mother reported that Chamberlain had spanked their children to the point that they were both injured with severe red marks and bruising on their backs.

The children’s mother told officials that the spankings have occurred several times in the last six months and got worse when she tried to stop it, the complaint said.

Chamberlain reportedly admitted to officials that he spanked his children to the point that they bruised and said that it happened about six times, the complaint said. He also reportedly told officials that he was “too rough.”

Child endangerment causing bodily injury is a Class-D felony.

— by Rebecca Morin