|
Man charged with burning, whipping, starving son
By KATHRYN WEXLER © St. Petersburg Times, published November 25, 1998 The child was taken Monday to Tampa General Hospital after officials from the Florida Department of Children and Families and police had been called to his home. He was in fair condition Tuesday night. David Robert Connell, 32, was charged Monday with aggravated child abuse. Connell, of 5128 Tennis Court Circle, was being held late Tuesday on $25,000 bail. Abuse investigators had been trying to locate the boy since Nov. 18 or 19, when they received a tip on the abuse hotline, said Tom Jones, spokesman for the department. According to an arrest report, the boy's body was scarred with more than 100 injuries, some old, some fresh. Officials took him to the hospital to treat his malnourishment and determine if his bones are broken, Jones said. "This obviously, unfortunately, has been going on for a while," Jones said. The abuse may have lasted months, he said. Officials won't know for sure until the investigation is complete. The state has temporarily taken custody of the child as well as two school-aged sisters who also lived at the Tampa home. Jones said it doesn't appear the girls were abused. Instead, the boy was likely targeted for suffering, Jones said. Connell told Tampa police he burned the boy on the chest with a hot curling iron and struck him with his hand and braided leather belt "out of anger," the arrest report said. Connell does not have a criminal record in Hillsborough County, and listed a department store on Northdale Boulevard as his place of employment in jail records. The boy was adopted in Polk County, officials said. Investigators were frustrated for about five days as they tried to find the child. Connell and his wife told investigators he was with relatives in Polk County. When case workers went there, they were told the boy was back in Tampa, Jones said. Officials became concerned the family was hiding the boy because of visible injuries. "It seemed like it was the runaround," Jones said. The children could be taken from Connell permanently. "With the nature of the crime, we could move to terminate his parental rights if we find the allegations to be true," Jones said. "We could move on all three children."
Business |
Citrus |
Columnists |
Commentary |
|
AMPA -- Police say a father burned his 5-year-old adopted son, whipped him with a belt and starved him over a prolonged period of time.
