A couple in Oklahoma has been arrested for allegedly subjecting the man’s 8-year-old son to physical abuse and forcing him to live in extremely unsanitary conditions, resulting in severe bug bites all over his body.
Joseph Wiles and Mekayla Beard were arrested earlier this month and are facing charges of felony child neglect, according to court records reviewed by Law&Crime.
Beard, who reportedly stated that Child Protective Services gave her permission to physically harm children, is facing charges of felony child abuse. Wiles, on the other hand, is charged with felony enabling child abuse.
Officers from the Harrah Police Department swiftly responded to a report of child abuse at a mobile home park near the police station, as detailed in a probable cause affidavit. A concerned neighbor contacted the police after noticing that the victim, whom she hadn’t seen in a while, had visited her earlier in the day. She observed that the boy had numerous bruises and bug bites.
The victim’s response to the abuse was deeply unsettling. According to the police affidavit, he recounted an incident where his stepmother asked him about a word in a book. When he admitted he didn’t know the answer, she responded by telling him to “bend over so she can give me a butt whoopin.” The boy begged her to cease, repeatedly saying, “please, I implore you,” but it purportedly had no impact.
The victim described how Beard proceeded to strike him freely, indicating various bruises on his body.
According to reports, Beard supposedly instructed the individual to bend over once more. When the victim declined, Beard apparently responded, “I’ll just strike you wherever it lands.”
The victim reported to the police that he experienced numbness in his hips and upper and lower buttocks as a result of the abuse. He explained that Beard had used a wooden paddle to beat him, which eventually broke in half. According to the affidavit, his father was present at home and witnessed the incident of abuse.
The police reported that the child had extensive bruising and a significant number of bug bites, some of which seemed to be infected.
Officers then approached Beard, who had a wooden paddle wrapped in black electrical tape to fix the break.
According to reports, she reportedly mentioned using a metal spatula and a belt as disciplinary measures for the children.
According to Beard, the victim started moving aggressively and claimed that she had no right to hit him because she wasn’t his mother. She then suggested that she playfully tapped him on his rear end.
According to Police Chief Marty Burns, the victim had severe bruising and was extensively bitten by bugs.
Beard and Wiles were apprehended and taken to the Oklahoma County Detention Center, where they have been held on a $50,000 bond.
Source: Law&Crime