Sherif Saad, of Coram, charged with assaulting his child at MetLife Stadium during Jets-Giants game

A Coram man was charged with assaulting his child at MetLife Stadium during last week’s Jets preseason game against the Giants, according to New Jersey State Police.

Sherif Saad, 34, was at the stadium last Friday as a coach for the Longwood Youth Football team, which had a halftime scrimmage during the game, police said. Saad hit his child "with a closed fist in the torso twice with such force" that the child's feet left the ground, according to a criminal complaint. 

Police were called at 10:20 p.m. to review security footage, which showed a man picking up a child and going to a white tent where he was seen "striking twice in an uppercut motion" toward the child's torso, according to the complaint. 

Multiple children witnessed the alleged assault, police said, and after the second punch, bystanders intervened. Saad left the stadium with the child before police arrived.

New Jersey State Police contacted Suffolk police, who visited Saad's home and found three children inside who were deemed safe, according to a police affidavit. 

On Monday, Saad voluntarily surrendered to state police. He was charged with misdemeanor counts of endangering the welfare of a child, cruelty and neglect of a child, assault in the presence of a child and simple assault.

He was released following a Bergen County court hearing Tuesday. His attorney could not be reached for comment.

Nicolle Messina, commissioner of Longwood Youth Football, said in a statement: "The investigation is ongoing; at this time we have no further comment." 

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.