A Missouri mother and father are behind bars for allegedly forcing their “very thin” 4-year-old son to sit in a dog crate while the rest of the family ate dinner.
Patricia L. Siercks, 34, and Joshua J. Gusman, 32, are accused of child abuse against their son. According to a probable cause affidavit from the Clinton Police Department, doctors determined that the boy was “within days of fatal organ failure.”
The investigation began in late June, when officers responded to Golden Valley Memorial Hospital for a report of child abuse involving a 4-year-old boy. The victim appeared “very thin” and had bruises and scratches on his face.
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The boy’s medical chart showed that he had gained only one pound in two and a half years, according to the affidavit. Siercks allegedly told deputies that “she spends $400 on food” but that her son is “picky.”
In November, the boy’s doctor ordered his parents to feed him PediaSure, a nutrition drink, to help him gain weight. It worked: he gained nearly 7 pounds by March, according to the affidavit.
However, Siercks stopped giving him the drink because “it was all the victim wanted to have,” according to the affidavit. As a result, the boy lost six pounds between March and June. According to cops, the victim weighed only 23 pounds, which was more than 20 pounds underweight.
Siercks allegedly admitted hitting her son in the face about two weeks ago because he was “throwing a fit” at an appointment. According to the affidavit, she became frustrated and angry before slapping and punching the victim in the face.
“Siercks used her right hand and slapped across the left side of the victim’s face and then using her right hand punched the left side of the victim’s face in the temple/eye area,” according to the investigators.
The boy was admitted to a children’s hospital on June 30 due to his weight and irregular heartbeat rhythm, which were caused by malnutrition, according to police. Doctors diagnosed the boy with refeeding syndrome, a condition caused by prolonged starvation that could be fatal if he resumed eating quickly or abruptly.
Gusman appears to have denied any abuse after receiving his Miranda warning. However, he previously told a Child Protective Service investigator that he witnessed the boy being “placed into a dog crate while the family ate dinner and the victim was not provided with any food,” according to the affidavit.
According to the affidavit, he also claimed Siercks had been abusing the boy for two years. For example, he would hear a commotion in another room and find Siercks “assaulting” their son, prompting him to intervene to stop it.
In addition to the refeeding syndrome, doctors diagnosed the boy with “acute childhood torture, long-term starvation, imbalanced electrolytes due to dehydration, and stunted growth.”
Police arrested Siercks and Gusman last week. They remain in the Henry County Jail without bond. Siercks has a court appearance scheduled for Tuesday, while Gusman is scheduled to appear before a judge Monday morning.
