Father Charged After He Allegedly Encouraged Son To Commit Suicide With Shotgun
ODENTON, Md. (WJZ) -- A Maryland father was charged with child abuse and assault after he allegedly tried to convince his teenage son to commit suicide.
According to charging documents, police were called to an Anne Arundel County high school on Nov. 20 around 12:42 p.m. for a report of child abuse.
When they arrived, a teenage boy said that between Jan. 19 and June 30 of 2019 he was physically assaulted several times by his father.
The boy told police he was sent to live with his aunt multiple times during his life but had to return home recently due to safety.
While he was at his father's residence, there were three incidents where his father used a belt or extension cords to beat him over his entire body. He said during the first incident, his father allegedly strangled him so hard he said, "I saw weird colors in my eyes and it started turning black."
He said he felt a tingling in his arms and legs and thought he was about to lose consciousness.
During another incident, the teen told his mother he was having suicidal thoughts. His father retrieved a shotgun and forced it in between the boy's legs and forced his hands and thumbs on the trigger.
The father allegedly said, "Do it. Do it. End it now."
The teen said because of all the abuse in his life he was "numb to these things."
He told authorities his father also took him out of school for homeschooling at the beginning of 2019, but instead of teaching him things, the boy was forced to clean the house and do other chores. When he was done, he was forced to stay inside his room with no TV, phone or WiFi.
He also said he had only two pairs of clothes at a time and that he had to ask to go to the bathroom.
The 46-year-old man was charged with first and second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, second-degree child abuse, provide means of assisting suicide, use of a firearm in violent crime, failing to send his child to school and several other charges.
To protect the minor child we're not naming his father, the suspect, or showing the man's mug shot. We're also not naming the school involved.