Coralville man assaulted 6-year-old boy, causing cardiac arrest, police say

CORALVILLE - A Coralville man is accused of punching a 6-year-old boy, causing the child to go into cardiac arrest.

Matthew Q. Sanders, 23, punched the boy in the abdomen with a closed fist sometime between July 5 and July 6, according to Coralville police criminal complaints. Police said the attack caused the boy to suffer serious internal injuries.

The boy vomited after the assault, but Sanders did not seek medical care for the child, police said. The boy's symptoms worsened until he went into cardiac arrest, police said.

Police said Sanders also strangled the boy, causing the child to believe he was going to die.

The boy is a member of Sanders' household and Sanders was in custody of the child at the time of the attack, police said.

Sanders was arrested Monday and faces two counts of child endangerment causing serious injury, a Class C felony; and one count of child endangerment without injury, an aggravated misdemeanor.

The charges carry a potential sentence of 22 years in prison.

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