Police: Mom Punched 7-Year-Old Son Because He Was Bad Lookout For Shoplifting Grandmother

PHOENIX (CBS Local) -- A 7-year-old boy was punched by his mother for being a bad lookout for his shoplifting grandmother, according to authorities in Phoenix.

Police responded to a suspected child abuse call at a Walmart store located near 75th Avenue and Lower Buckeye Road on Friday night, CBS affiliate KPHO reported.

Officers observed Rebecca Gonzales, 27, spank the boy and then slap and punch him in the face in the parking lot, Maricopa County court documents said. The boy was bleeding from his mouth.

Court documents state Gonzales came to the store to pick up her 7-year-old son, who was being used by his grandmother as a lookout while she shoplifted.

"According to the child, he was hit because he didn't watch out for his grandma good enough," the arresting officers wrote in their probable cause for arrest statement.

Gonzales was charged with aggravated assault. A judge set bail at $2,500. If she posts bond, she is not allowed to have any contact with her son, according to KPHO.