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Man punched little children in head for fun, police say

By Theodore Decker - The Columbus Dispatch (MCT) | Tuesday March 02 2010, 1:07pm

Caught in the act at his local Walmart last night, Ralph Conone admitted that for months he'd been punching children in the backs of their heads with his keys in his fist, Columbus police said today.

The 68-year-old grandfather also told them why, police said: He simply got a kick out of it.

"He stated that he does this because of the excitement of being able to do it and get away with it with the parents right there," said Sgt. John Hurst of the special victims bureau. "He'll just strike them in the head and just turn around and walk away."

Conone, of 5687 Shadowbrook Dr. on the Northwest Side, was charged with two misdemeanor counts of assault after an alert mother realized he had done something to her two boys, ages 6 and 7, while they shopped about 7 p.m. at the Wal-Mart at 2700 Bethel Rd.

The woman confronted Conone. He waited while she contacted security and until police arrived.

Police said the assaults on the boys were caught on store surveillance. The system also turned up two other unidentified boys being struck by Conone the same night while their parents were briefly distracted, Hurst said. Police hope to identify and speak with them.

Conone said he would wait until a parent wandered briefly out of sight before striking the child with his keys between his fingers. The child would cry out, and he would slip away unnoticed.

Investigators said Conone doesn't appear to have a prior criminal record and told them he'd never tried to abduct or otherwise harm the children.

"He was surprised (last) night that he had caused injury to the child," Hurst said. The 6-year-old bled from a minor cut to his head and was treated by medics at the scene, police said.

Conone, who police said was divorced three years ago and lives alone, claimed he would commit the assaults while shopping. But police said he didn't appear to shop for anything Wednesday night, and he later admitted going into the store with the intent to strike the children, Hurst said.

Police suspect there have been other incidents that were not reported, likely because parents weren't sure what had caused their children to cry.

Conone said he committed the assaults only at that store, and only since January. He selected only little children.

"He told us it was because they were unable to defend themselves," Hurst said.

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