Family Therapist Jailed, Accused Of Beating His Adopted Son
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A man who works counseling families is facing serious charges, accused of beating his adopted son after finding some of his homework papers in the trash.
Christopher Spann, 52, a family therapist from Homewood, is in the Allegheny County Jail facing charges, including aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of children.
Police say they arrested Spann after they determined he repeatedly beat and punched his 11-year-old adopted son late Tuesday.
The boy was adopted after first being placed with Spann as a foster child.
When the boy showed up late Wednesday at a Salvation Army after-school program, employees saw his injuries and called Zone 5 police.
Lt. Jason Lando told KDKA's Ralph Iannotti that the boy explained to officers that he was assaulted over a three-hour period in an argument that started over the child not doing his homework and tossing it into a garbage can in his bedroom.
The boy said it wasn't the first time that he's been beaten by his adopted dad.
When police went to Spann's home to arrest him late Wednesday, there was a caseworker there with another foster child who was due to begin staying with Spann that night.
Instead, Spann was taken into custody and charged.
A police report says the 11-year old who was beaten sustained hand prints on his face and neck, a left black eye, and a broken blood vessel in his right eye, along with bruises on both legs.
Spann is jailed on $250,000 bail.
A criminal complaint states that the boy told officers sometimes Spann beat him several times a month, but this time was the worst.
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