A couple in Monessen are facing charges, accused of leaving a young boy “emaciated and covered in bruises.”
The Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office says 29-year-old Charles Smithley and 36-year-old Colleen Cassidy are charged with endangering the welfare of children, unlawful restraint and simple assault.
When a relative took custody of the victim in April, he “appeared dirty, unhygienic and hungry.”
The relative also said the boy was in pain and had bruises on his legs and buttocks.
Healthcare workers said the boy also had bruising on his arms and the marks on his buttocks showed he may have been “seated for an extended time.”
The victim told police he was hit beaten by Smithley and Cassidy with a paddle and tied to a chair.
He also revealed that he was forced to eat his own feces and went days without eating proper food. He was also forced to sleep on basement bathroom floor without pillows or blankets.
Another child that lived at the residence corroborated the victim’s story.
The child witness said they were not abused by the couple
Smithley and Cassidy were sent to the Westmoreland County Prison after they failed to post bail.