Dad and girlfriend starved 5-year-old, made him eat his own feces, PA cops say

A 5-year-old boy with bruises across his body was forced to sleep on a bathroom floor while often going days without eating, Pennsylvania authorities say.

The boy’s father and his girlfriend now face criminal charges after health care workers observed the boy was “emaciated” with bruising on his arms, legs and buttocks, according to the Monessen Police Department.

McClatchy News is not naming the couple, ages 29 and 36, to protect the identity of the child.

Police said a relative took custody of the boy in April and noticed the child was “dirty, unhygienic and hungry” and “appeared to be (in) pain.”

It was the boy’s grandfather, WPXI reported, who noticed the troubling signs. The grandfather took the 5-year-old to McDonald’s to eat and play, but the boy only wanted to eat, according to the station.

He noticed his grandchild’s bruising and brought him to a hospital, where it was revealed the boy’s McDonald’s meal was the first time he had eaten “for an extended period of time,” according to court records obtained by WTAE.

The boy told health care workers his dad and his girlfriend spanked him with a paddle daily, KDKA reported, citing court records. He also said they would tie him to a chair, police said.

Marks on the boy’s buttocks made it appear as if “he had been seated for an extended period of time,” police said.

Additionally, the guardians made the child eat his own feces and sleep on a bathroom floor without a blanket or pillow, according to police.

Another child who lives in the home confirmed the alleged abuse but said he was not a victim of abuse himself, investigators said.

Police said the father and his girlfriend were charged with endangering the welfare of children, unlawful restraint, and simple assault.

Monessen is about a 30-mile drive south from Pittsburgh.