BREVARD COUNTY, Florida. (WOFL FOX 35, Orlando) -- Palm Bay police have arrested a mother and father after what police describe as the ‘vicious’ abuse of their two children, aged 3 and 7.
Police said that they were contacted on February 20th by the Department of Children and Family Services to help them in an investigation. DCF had been contacted by someone concerned about the welfare of two children and when DCF went to check on them, the father refused to cooperate.
When Palm Bay detectives went to investigate they determined that the children had been severely beaten. The children had significant bruises from being severely whipped with a belt, and beaten with a paddle and shower rod.
“This goes way beyond discipline for a child,” said Detective Greg Guillette of the Special Victims Unit. “Both of these children had bruises all over their body including marks from the belt buckle that was used to beat them so severely their skin in some areas was gone.”
The father later admitted to beating the 3 year old male as a form of “discipline”. According to police the evidence suggests the children were being beaten over a long period of time with scars and injuries in various stages of healing.
Police arrested 33 year old Tobais Bletcher and his wife 26 year old Ryan Bletcher.
Both parents are in jail. Tobais is being held on $15,000 and Ryan is being held on $10,000.
The children have been placed in protective custody until the court system can determine the safest course of action.
http://www.myfoxorlando.com/myfox/pa...Y&pageId=3.2.1
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