Couple Forced Child To Kneel For Nine Hours A Day, Police Say

Police in Lakeland, Fla., say a couple forced a 13-year-old child to kneel for nine hours a day with his hands behind his back.

Albert Cusson and his wife Nancy admitted to the abuse, but said it didn't hurt the boy and it was punishment for cheating in school, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by the Ledger.

Central Florida News 13 reports that Albert Cusson was the boy's grandfather.

The couple allegedly fed the child a "protein shake" consisting of meat and vegetables, but did not allow him to eat or drink anything else, according to the Ledger. If he moved from his kneeling position, the boy was beaten with a stick. After ten days, the boy ran away from home and told a neighbor about the abuse. That's when authorities got involved, arresting the couple and charging them with aggravated child abuse.

The Cussons also had access to a 9-year-old girl who allegedly witnessed the abuse and was also forced to kneel for two days, according to ABC Action News.

"There is no excuse for this type of deplorable behavior," Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd told ABC. "People who mistreat children are the worst of the worst. Jail is too good for them - the Cussons will be more comfortable in the county jail than this little boy was when he was in their care."

The boy's grandmother, Sandra Cusson, who lives next door, told Central Florida News she was not surprised by the allegations. She said she'd been trying to get police to do something about the couple for a while.

“All there was was trouble, and he ran away, ran away,” Cusson told the station. “Another time he was disciplined, they put a diaper on him at 13 and made him wear it all day.”

From our partners

• Mother Allegedly Pinned For Hours Under Drunk Son - www.newser.com
• 14 Adorable Beetles That Won’t Make You Scream In Terror - TheFW.com
• Rod Stewart's Steroid Use Shrunk His Penis - msnNOW.com

Comments

[clancy3909]

04:49 PM on 04/24/2013

The Bio Grandmother tried to do something???What was that?Stick her head in the sand.I would have been at the police station or child protective every day till they did something

[di1428]

12:41 PM on 03/13/2012

I think the sheriff summed it up best:

"There is no excuse for this type of deplorable behavior," Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd told ABC. "People who mistreat children are the worst of the worst. Jail is too good for them - the Cussons will be more comfortable in the county jail than this little boy was when he was in their care."

jail is too good for them!
not sure if its me misreading or not but does article say that the couple was the grandfather and the boys mother? and the grandmother lived next door?? was a bit confused about that..

[kjsung]

09:56 AM on 03/13/2012

I had to endure similar excessive "punishment" when I was near the same age as the 13-year old boy. The psychological effects from this form of abuse were not easy to deal with early in my life and I am not currently on speaking terms with the person that did this to me.

The physical techniques both Mr. and Mrs. Cusson used on the child do nothing to reinforce responsible behavior in a young teenager. The only thing they managed to accomplish from this is to alienate their Grandchild. I seriously doubt he will ever want to speak with them again, I definitely wouldn't!

Cognitively, teenagers are beyond the use of pain as a teaching tool. Light spankings only work for toddlers and early elementary age kids. Discipline would have been far more productive if the Grandparents would have taken away privileges and instructed the child that he must earn them back, writing a lengthy essay, grounding or performing extra chores would have been a far more effective on his mental development.

[di1428]

12:49 PM on 03/13/2012

sorry you had to endure that...

your post was right on though!

[ISpeakForWhatsRight]

04:57 AM on 03/13/2012

I can find one good side to this story. The child was able to run away and get help, he lived, and his sister can live. There has been story after story lately of children dying from abuse, so while it is a sad fact in our society, I tried to find the better point of the story.

I am not happ withy, nor is there any excuse as to why help wasn't provided when Social Services was involved earlier in the year.

AND... I do believe we should come up with something more detailed when it involves child rearing and adoption/fostering and so on. Almost any woman can make a baby, almost any man can make a baby, but it varies greatly in how these babies grow up. I don't feel having a baby or being a parent should be as easy and going to the pound and adopting a pet, I think more of SOMETHING should be done to screen and try to prevent so much of this constant needless abuse and murders.

[seriously77]

02:56 PM on 03/12/2012

wtf! I'm just glad that boy was finally able to run and get help. I'd say these adults took the "time out" thing just a little too far. I hope they suffer prolonged physical pain.

[Americanwoman55]

11:14 AM on 03/12/2012

Just an update for all you reading this. Social Services was involved in this a year earlier and dropped the ball. This poor child reported abuse and Family Services returned this teen to the Family. This punishment went on for 10 days before he escaped.
It has been pn the news here in Florida!!!!

This is after several children have died here in Florida after Family service have not done their job here.

[St Ansgar]

08:59 AM on 03/12/2012

Imagine that; another "Florida" article. It would be a waste if that state puts its money into anything other than parenting classes for its citizens.

[Kristy Hickey Steaveson]

08:37 AM on 03/12/2012

I think the judge in this case should make them wear depends and kneel outside the court house with a sign that says this is what i do to my children..For hours each day.. Then off to the jail. Once out no contact with each other or the kids unless the kids say its okay. Only after a parenting course is taken!!!!

[arianaart]

06:33 PM on 03/11/2012

Put diapers on them and make them kneel all day while in their jail cells.

[arabianway]

06:01 PM on 03/11/2012

One summer my parents sent my sister and myself to a Catholic girls summer camp in New England. After talking while in an assembly I was forced to kneel on a stack of metal folding chairs with my arms outstretched in front of me. It wasn't until my sister started crying that I was excused. Those indentations on my knees lasted a very long time.

[wa0cal]

05:13 PM on 03/11/2012

Before a lengthy prison sentence give these creeps a dose of their own medicine and let them suffer. It is a good thing that the boy was able to escape and summon help. Throw these bums in prison for a long time

[ethelmertzrules]

04:19 PM on 03/11/2012

Sterilization should be one of the penalties for convicted child abusers.

[ethelmertzrules]

04:18 PM on 03/11/2012

Ah, a fine Christian couple.

[celticmaiden7475]

12:49 PM on 03/11/2012

I wonder what would happen if they added child abuse crimes to become a death penalty charge if people would think twice before they abuse their kids. I just have to wonder why they thought it was ok to treat the child like that.

[toottoot]

07:06 AM on 03/11/2012

"People who mistreat children are the worst of the worst. Jail is too good for them - the Cussons will be more comfortable in the county jail than this little boy was when he was in their care."

The absolute truth! So many freaks with children in their homes while they belong no where near any child, anywhere! Glad they were caught, this only would have gotten worse. This poor kid or his sister very well could have been found dead had he not run away and told somebody what those monsters were doing to them. Glad it is over for them.