An Arizona man has been taken into custody following the discovery of his son’s decomposing body on the couch, according to authorities.
Joseph Gregory Antonsen was taken into custody after his 9-year-old son was found at their residence in the Picture Rocks area on Sunday, July 14th.
The 38-year-old is currently in custody with a bond set at $500,000. They are facing charges of child abuse and negligent homicide, according to online jail records.
It is uncertain whether he has entered pleas to the charges or hired a lawyer.
Reports state that authorities were conducting a welfare check at the residence when they discovered Antonsen’s son unresponsive, seated on a couch. According to the Arizona Republic, the boy’s body was found in a state of decomposition, as stated in the news release.
According to court documents cited by The Arizona Republic, Antonsen reportedly informed officers that his son had not been feeling well a couple of days ago. According to the documents, he expressed his intention to bring the child to the doctor’s office, but stated that his son began experiencing involuntary movements and loss of consciousness.
According to the documents, when he started his car and came back home, he discovered that the boy was not breathing and had no pulse.
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According to the documents, Antonsen apparently admitted to leaving the home with his son inside, even though he was aware that he should have sought assistance.
According to KOLD, the police claim that the property was filled with various unsanitary items, including empty beer cans, soiled diapers, rotten food, bottles containing what appears to be urine, and a significant presence of insects and spiders (including black widows and brown recluses).
According to a neighbor interviewed by KOLD and reported by PEOPLE, she noticed a decrease in sightings of the boy and his father in recent months, with the boy not being seen for about a month.
His son was absolutely adorable. The neighbor, whose daughter used to play with the boy, described him as a very friendly kid. He displayed excellent manners. He was much more amiable compared to his father.
According to another neighbor, it was believed that the house had been left vacant.
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