Couple’s ‘brutal pattern’ of child torture included boy kept in cage, Florida cops say

A Florida couple is facing dozens of charges after investigators said they discovered “a brutal pattern of child neglect, abuse and torture” that included keeping a 5-year-old boy in a dog cage.

The suspects are the boy’s mother and her live-in boyfriend, and the evidence includes surveillance video recorded in their DeLand home, according to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office. DeLand is about 40 miles northeast of Orlando.

“Doctors and nurses found 46 visible injuries to the victim in addition to internal injuries including a fractured skull,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release. “It was also determined that another child in the home was forced to drink boiling water, sprayed with boiling water, and beaten with several household objects. That child also witnessed the brutal abuse inflicted on the younger victim.”

Three children were removed from the couple’s home “and placed in a safe environment,” officials said.

The investigation began when the children’s mother called 911 to report she suspected her boyfriend was abusing her son, officials said.

“Ultimately, the investigation revealed multiple recordings of the victim receiving beatings while (the 28-year-old mom) was present in the house, as well as several instances where he was visibly injured and limping in her presence, but received no care or medical attention,” the sheriff’s office said.

“On the day that (the mom) did report the abuse, video showed her mopping up the area where the victim was beaten with the mop handle. Video from the days leading up to that incident showed the 5-year-old victim was not only beaten, but repeatedly left with his hands bound behind his back for hours at a time.”

Her boyfriend was tracked down by deputies and arrested May 9 after he fled the home on a 4-wheeler, officials said.

He faces two dozen charges, including multiple counts of aggravated child abuse and child neglect causing great bodily harm, false imprisonment of a child less than 13 years of age and tampering with a witness, jail records show.

Meanwhile, the children’s mother faces “25 similar charges after detectives determined she was aware of the abuse, witnessed it and continually failed to intervene or report it,” officials said.

Details provided by the children and witnesses were corroborated by surveillance video recorded in the home, officials said.

The video shows one instance in which the boy’s hands were tied “behind his back from 6:43 p.m. one evening until 2:02 p.m. the following day,” officials said.

“It was discovered that in addition to the abuse recorded on video, the victim was tied up and placed in a dog cage and often punished via deprivation of food,” officials said. “Evidence was also obtained that a third child victim in the house was not receiving the proper nutrition or care for a serious medical condition, and was also witnessing the constant abuse.”

This story was originally published June 5, 2023 at 4:34 AM with the headline "Couple’s ‘brutal pattern’ of child torture included boy kept in cage, Florida cops say."