NOBLESVILLE - Despite his track record for causing mischief, Noblesville child Justin Pearson absolutely swears that it wasn't him this time.
The eight-year-old troublemaker moved to defend himself after younger brother Timothy charged that little Justin had forcibly removed the head from one of his Marvel Comic action figures.
"I didn't do it," he said, bowing his head to the ground. "I know I've done stuff like that before, but I swear to God it wasn't me this time."
The validity of the youngster's denial, however, was brought into question when long-suffering mother Georgina discovered the snapped bust of Captain America lying next to a chisel on Justin's bedroom floor.
"But, Mum...", continued the calculating little brat. "I don't know how it got there, but I promise it wasn't me."
"You've got to believe me."
In an elaborate effort to convince his family that the toy probably just fell onto the chisel or something, Justin proceeded to re-enact the entire scenario by repeatedly dropping a Mr Fantastic action figure onto the destructive tool below.
"Why does no one believe me?", he said, hurling the Hasbro toy at the adjacent bedroom wall. "No one ever believes me in this house."
Meanwhile, it has also been revealed that his sister's missing collection of Harry Potter bobbleheads have turned up in several pieces under the tear-away's mattress.
Image credit: creative commons. MiikaS