Stepdad Who Beat Boy Over Bad Grades Charged With Child Abuse
PONTIAC (WWJ) - Oakland County authorities are looking for a 33-year-old Pontiac man accused of badly beating his six-year-old stepson because of a bad report card.
Deputies were called to a home, the 100 block of W. Cornell in Pontiac, by a babysitter who claimed she witnessed the boy being beaten.
They arrived to find the child had severe welting and bruising on his back and the stepfather, identified by sheriff's officials as Earnest Milton, had fled.
The injured boy was taken to a local hospital where he was treated and released.
Further investigation revealed 10 children were living in the house ranging from ages one-to-12. Two other children also had wounds from what appeared to be previous beatings.
Authorities say two of the children are Milton's with his 29-year-old wife, who was not home at the time of he incident. Three of the children — including the child that was allegedly assaulted — are Milton's wife's from a previous relationship. The five other children in the home are the homeowner's kids and are not related.
All of the children were removed from the home, at least temporarily, and warrant has been issued for Milton's arrest.
Sheriff's officials say Milton was released from prison in May of this year after serving time for domestic violence, drug, and larceny convictions.
He faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted on three counts of child abuse.
Anyone with information about Milton's whereabouts is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP or Sheriff's Dispatch at 248-858-4911. There is a cash reward available for a tip leading to his arrest.
