California police officer allegedly chokes 5-year-old son for eating his breakfast too slowly
The neighbors didn't see any red flags.
What should have been a normal breakfast with family turned into a hospital visit with allegations of child abuse. A police officer in California is facing a felony charge after he is suspected of choking his young son when the boy didn’t finish his food within a time limit.
Steven Romero, a deputy at the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office in California, was accused of attacking his five-year-old son for not eating his breakfast within a 15-minute timeframe at their home in Livermore back in March. The young boy was reportedly in the care of Romero and his wife, the son’s stepmother, when the incident occurred, according to KTVU.
Romero, who described himself as someone who “believes in being dependable when it matters most” on his LinkedIn, allegedly punished his son by making him jump rope initially. However, when the son failed to jump fast enough by Romero’s standards, the punishment supposedly escalated.
Prosecutors charge police officer with child abuse
Romero allegedly choked his son several times by the neck and mouth before dragging the young boy to his room by the ear. Per the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office, the pressure was hard enough that it left visible bruises on him.
Romero’s son was later brought to the hospital and was seen by an attending doctor, who concluded that the injuries observed were typical of those associated with physical abuse. It remains unclear who took his son to get treated at the hospital and whether the stepmother was involved.
Following the report of alleged abuse, prosecutors have slapped Romero with a felony charge for child abuse. He is scheduled to attend a pre-trial hearing this coming Sept. 15.
While police departments usually suspend or put officers who are under investigation on administrative leave, that was not the case for Romero. Rather, the deputy had been on leave from the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office since April 2025, although the exact reason for his leave isn’t clear.
Romero is in a recovery program
According to the sheriff’s office, it had been made aware of the criminal acts allegedly committed by Romero and had launched its own internal administrative investigation. However, they also noted that the alleged actions took place while Romero was off-duty in Alameda County.
“During Mr. Romero’s leave, criminal allegations were brought to the attention of the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office,” Alameda County officials said. “The alleged conduct occurred off duty in Alameda County while Mr. Romero was on leave, which remains ongoing.”
Neighbors in Livermore were reportedly shocked by Romero’s felony charge and have described him as a “friendly family man,” whom they often see walking down the street with his children. To the neighbors, Romero’s family presented themselves as a happy, loving family with no noticeable signs of trouble. But Romero’s court records say otherwise.
Reportedly, Romero’s defense team pushed for a mental health diversion during the case, but the prosecution had objected. Records collected by KTVU show that Romero had been treated at a specialized recovery program specifically for first responders since June. He was diagnosed with major depression, PTSD, and cannabis and alcohol disorders.
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