A man was negligent for not stopping his live-in girlfriend from beating her 7-year-old daughter, even though he told her she could get in trouble, the state Supreme Court ruled in upholding the Hudson County man's conviction.

The mother, identified as Yvette, admitted in March 2012 that she hit the girl on the arms, legs and thighs with her fists and struck her stomach with a metal spatula because the girl had been eating too slowly, according to court documents.

A Hudson County Family Court judge found that Yvette had physically abused the girl and her boyfriend had also abused or neglected the girl by allowing the beating in what was described as "excessive corporal punishment," court documents said.

On March 29, 2012, the girl, who was identified as Mary in court documents, arrived at school with a bruise on her right cheek after being out two days.

A caseworker from the state Division of Child Protection and Permanency took her to a hospital where bruises were found on her legs, thighs and back, as well as bruises on her stomach with red dots, court documents said.

The woman's boyfriend was present at the time and told Yvette to stop hitting the girl because she would get in trouble, court documents said. The man said he witnessed the abuse, but did not see the girl struck with the spatula.

The man said he was holding his infant son at the time and he walked away because he didn't want his son to see the violence.

The man argued both those points before the state's highest court last month, but the judge agreed with the appellate ruling that found he was considered a "guardian" for the girl under the law and he had an obligation to protect Mary from Yvette's abuse.

The state Supreme Court also affirmed the appellate court's finding that even if the man didn't see the beating with the spatula, he was well aware the girl was being abused. The panel also found that the boyfriend's concern for his son was not an excuse because the beating went on for a period of time, giving him sufficient time to intervene.