Cops: Beaten Boy Eventually Speaks

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by Staff | Feb 22, 2012 8:53 am

(1) Comment | Commenting has been closed | E-mail the Author

Posted to: The Hill

At first, the 11-year-old boy didn’t want to tell anyone why he had bruises or why he was limping.

For one thing, the man he said was beating him—his cousin’s boyfriend—had threatened him not to tell anyone. The boy made his own threat, at school: that he planned to harm himself. (He was admitted to a psychiatric facility for a five-day inpatient treatment.)

The boy eventually told a social worker at school what had been happening at home. A police officer, Mary Helland, investigated, prepared a warrant. Now police have arrested the 34-year-old man, whose first name is Samuel and who lives in the Hill. He’s charged with risk of injury to a minor and third-degree assault.

Helland’s arrest warrant affidavit tells the sad tale in detail. Some excerpts:

“... The Victim described the incident when he obtained the bruises to his legs. He said he was in the kitchen with Samuel’s son doing their homework. Samuel came into the kitchen. He was upset because while cleaning their room they put too many clothes in the dresser causing the drawer to break underneath. He came in the kitchen and told the boys to pull their pants down. He had them to stand next to each other. He hit his son with the belt 2 times. He then hit Victim. Victim said the pain was so bad from being hit that he began to walk away from Samuel. Samuel followed after him to the living room where he continued to hit him, very hard, multiple times with the belt. Victim said he was in a lot of pain. He said Cousin #1 was home, but she didn’t stop Samuel from hitting him.

“He was limping the next day at school. He used the collar from his school shirt to cover a mark on his face. He said the school social worker ... and his friend asked him if he was OK and he said yes even though he was very sore and limping.

“Victim said he eventually decided to tell [the social worker] because he felt like Samuel was ‘challenging’ him. He kept telling him, ‘I don’t care if you tell the police or teachers because I’ve been to jail already.’

“Victim described the first time Samuel hit him. He said Samuel told Victim to clean his room. Samuel got upset about something and hit him in the face with his Michael Jordan sandal. ...

“He then described another incident. He said Samuel picked him and his son up from school. It was a very hot day. He said Samuel was angry about something. When they got home they each took an ice cream from the freezer. Samuel got mad and told them to face the wall and be quiet. Samuel’s son whispered something to Victim. Samuel came over and hit Victim on his bare back with an open palm. Victim said it left a handprint on his back.

“He then described another incident. He said on Mother’s Day this year, they were all eating. Victim told his cousin ‘Beba’ it’s not polite to let gas out at the dinner table. Later Samuel asked Victim why he had said that to Beba because he felt it was inappropriate. He then pushed Victim into the wall, causing Victim to hit his head, leaving a large bump on his head.

“He also said sometimes after Samuel would hit him, he would hear voices in his head.”

The arrested man is out of custody pending the outcome of his court case. Police said he is no longer living with the victim’s family and is legally barred from having any contact with them or other children. Police Chief Dean Esserman this week directed police in the neighborhood to keep tabs on the man.

Comment

posted by: Josiah Brown on February 22, 2012 7:02pm

The regional Center for Domestic Violence Services (CDVS) provides domestic violence and family mediation for the following communities: Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Bethany, Branford, Derby, East Haven, Guilford, Hamden, Madison, Milford, New Haven, North Branford, North Haven, Orange, Oxford, Seymour, Shelton, West Haven and Woodbridge.

CDVS services are free of charge and are confidential. CDVS offers 24-hour services for crisis hotline counseling, advocacy and information about crime victim compensation, filing of temporary restraining orders, referral, and safety planning. CDVS accommodates crisis walk-ins, as well as immediate appointments and sheltering on a crisis basis.

The CDVS Crisis Hotline numbers are (203) 736-9944 and (203) 789-8104. The toll-free number is 1-888-774-2900.

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