Austin James Michael, 25, of Arnold has been charged with three felonies for reportedly hitting a young boy with a belt, pointing a gun at the boy and leaving the boy alone in an apartment for long periods of time. Michael is related to the boy, authorities reported.
Michael allegedly admitted to hitting the boy, and the Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged him on July 25 with two counts of abuse or neglect of a child and one count of endangering the welfare of a child creating a substantial risk, each one a class D felony punishable by up to seven years in prison, court documents said.
The boy, who is younger than 10, contacted neighbors for help while Michael was at work on July 24. Officers found the boy at the apartment and noticed he had signs of trauma, the probable-cause statement in the case said.
The boy told police Michael often left him alone in the apartment and would hit him with a leather belt. The boy also showed police a photograph that allegedly showed Michael pointing a gun at him while he slept, the report said.
The boy had bruises on his right side just above his waist. He told police Michael also had hit him over the head with a tablet, breaking it, according to the report.
Officers reportedly recovered the tablet, which had a crack on the screen. In Michael's car, officers also found the gun that allegedly had been pointed at the boy, the report said.
Michael allegedly said he had disciplined the boy by striking him with a belt and admitted to pointing a gun at the child, according to the report.
Michael was arrested July 24 and was being held at the Jefferson County Jail in Hillsboro without bond.