Sep 6, 2007 4:39 pm US/Central
Cops: Dad Arrested After Son Found Living Outside
(CBS 11 News) JOHNSON COUNTY Johnson County sheriff's deputies found a 12-year-old boy living in squalor conditions just outside his parent's home.
Officers say on September 2, they went to the 2900 block of E. FM 916 near Cleburne to conduct a welfare check. Reports indicate witnesses had seen the boy outside the residence for at least four days and nights.
According to police, the boy had been living outside under a dilapidated travel trailer.
When he was found, police say he had insect bites all over his body and was covered with fleas.
The boy told police that during that time, he had been fed peanut butter sandwiches and drank from a water hose. He said the sandwiches made him sick.
"We wouldn't do our dogs that way," said neighbor Rojean Granthan.
The child was taken from the home by Child Protective Services and placed under the care of family members.
Paul Schmidtke, the boy's father, was arrested and charged with injury to a child. He posted his $100,000 bond and returned home.
Injury to a child? Peanut butter and jelly. Potable water. Kid doesn't know how lucky he was. Damned ironic and a double standard that a program can subject kids to worse, even kill them, and walk scott free.Schmidtke told police the incident was not abuse. He said that his son couldn't live under the rules of his household, so he put him outside.
Mr. Schmidtke, if you believe your son would benefit from that kind of abuse and punishment.. err BM, you must follow the proper procedure and pay tens of thousands of dollars to a wilderness program or TBS. Only under the guise of therapy can one subject a child to such 'treatment'. You screwed up by labeling it 'discipline'... remember next time.... it's 'therapy'.The sheriff's office also plans to press charges on the child's step mother.
Video here:
http://cbs11tv.com/topstories/local_sto ... 74436.htmlThe travel trailer. Bet there's a bunch of kids that would've loved to have such luxurious accomodations.