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US Couple Indicted For Abuse Of Autistic Son

by Gopalan on Aug 24 2009 7:46 PM

A couple of Riverton in Wyoming, US, has been charged with child abuse. They had duct-taped the mouth of their autistic son.

A couple of Riverton in Wyoming, US, has been charged with child abuse. They had duct-taped the mouth of their autistic son.

Steven E. Kimball, 42, and his wife Holly Kimball, 34, were charged at the 3rd District Court on Friday in connection with abuse of their 12-year-old boy.

Holly Kimball put tape on her son's mouth because "he would not stop chattering," according to a booking statement filed at the Salt Lake County jail.

Police arrested Steven Kimball on Wednesday after reports that he had taped his wheelchair-bound stepson's mouth shut.

Police later discovered that Holly put the tape on the child's mouth before her husband ripped it off.

Steven Kimball ripped off several layers of the boy's skin when he removed the tape, Salt Lake County sheriff's Lt. Don Hutson said.

The boy, who can move only his head and arms, suffered swelling, cuts and abrasions. The child suffers from a form of muscular dystrophy and autism, and learns at a first-grade level, according to the booking statement, Salt Lake Tribune reported.

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Steven Kimball told police he "wanted it to hurt" when he pulled the tape off, according to the booking statement. He then used a rag to "briskly" remove some of the tape residue

The boy's biological father --who shares custody of the boy with Holly Kimball -- discovered the injuries when he picked him up from a visit with his mother and stepfather.

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Steven Kimball is charged with second-degree felony child abuse/neglect and Holly Kimball is charged with inflicting serious physical injury on a child with criminal negligence, a class A misdemeanor.

Steven Kimball is being held in the Salt Lake County jail in lieu of $50,000 bail. Holly Kimball is awaiting court proceedings out of jail. 


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