A Senita man was arrested Sunday afternoon after allegedly threatening and abusing children over spilled pasta, according to police. 

Officers responded to Aseel S. Ali’s home at 4:20 p.m. after receiving a report that the 37-year-old was making violent threats toward children inside the residence. A woman told officers that Ali sent her a message threatening to kill two children there, according to a probable cause statement obtained by InMaricopa. 

Home surveillance footage timestamped 3:33 p.m. showed Ali approaching a child and asking, “Why did you do that, huh?” — apparently referring to a box of spilled pasta visible in another clip. 

Officers reported hearing three loud slaps off-camera, which appeared to be Ali “spanking [the child’s] buttocks,” according to the police report. In view of the camera, Ali then grabbed the child by the arm, led him into the living room and spanked him four additional times. 

Two minutes later, Ali allegedly sent the woman a nine-second Snapchat video in which he said, “OK, I’m gonna f*cking kill them,” and showed a box of spilled pasta on the floor.  

In Arabic, Ali is heard in the footage “swearing to Allah that he was going to kill the children,” according to a translator. 

Police noted another child was present during the alleged abuse. Both children are described as low-functioning and vulnerable. InMaricopa is withholding Ali’s relationship to the children to protect their identities. 

Ali refused to be interviewed by police and was booked into Pinal County jail on three charges of threatening or intimidating and one charge of felony child abuse.  

He faces about five and a half years in prison if convicted. 

Resources for people experiencing domestic violence or child abuse in Maricopa 

• National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-SAFE (7233)   

• Arizona Coalition to End Sexual & Domestic Violence: 602-279-2980   

• Hope Women’s Center: 520-568-0532   

• Against Abuse, Inc.: 520-836-0858  

• Arizona Child Abuse Hotline 1-888-SOS-CHILD (767-2445)