A man is behind bars after deputies say he used multiple ways of torture to abuse a 2-year-old.
The girl's mother brought her to the hospital with the suspicion of ringworm. Deputies say the ER doctors immediately determined the ring marks on the child were burn marks.
37-year-old Andrew Ross Celaius was arrested and has been charged with aggravated child abuse and tampering of evidence.
After searching the home, the sheriff's office found a substantial amount of video and photo evidence of abuse taken on home surveillance and cellphone video.
Chief Deputy Chip Simmons gave graphic details of the abuse.
“We found systemic harassment, if not torture, of a two-year-old child as this child tried to sleep. There are videos of the child sound asleep and then getting a half full bottle thrown on the child just to wake it up," Simmons said. "Another time this same child was sound asleep and this time a full bottle thrown in an overhand type throw right on the child clearly waking the child up and making the child cry.”
Simmons said one of the more disturbing videos shows the child wearing a dog collar.
“You can hear the sounds of the dog collar being activated and then the shrieking and the pain that the child has suffered as a result of this. At one point you also see the suspect with a flame; a bit of a torch and you can hear and see the child and the injuries as a result of those things. I’ve been in law enforcement for over 30 years and when I looked at the evidence that we saw here, me and members of my staff were
The sheriff's office says the mother of the 2-year-old was arrested and charged with neglect. She has bonded out. The sheriff's office says they believe she was unaware of the abuse. She is fully cooperating with the investigation.
The sheriff's office says they're continuing to search through the video evidence. There is a possibility of additional charges for Ross Celaius. Deputies also continue to investigate the possibility of sexual abuse towards the 2-year-old.
Ross Celaius has a criminal history, including a 2006 case where he was charged in the homicide of a 2-year-old. He was acquitted in that case.
Deputies: Man used werewolf mask, shock collar to abuse 2-year-old child
A man is behind bars after deputies say he used multiple ways of torture to abuse a 2-year-old.
www.wkrg.com
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