STEELTON, Pa.–A Dauphin County mother and father are facing child endangerment charges after they beat their son for taking food, according to the criminal complaint.
Joseph R. Shore, 33, and Christina Shore, 34, both of Steelton are each charged with endangering welfare of children and simple assault. Both were arraigned Wednesday on $10,000 bail.
According to court documents, police were contacted Tuesday by Dauphin County Children and Youth after an 11 year-old boy showed up in the school nurses office at Steelton Elementary School.
The boy had bumps on his head and had trouble sitting down, according to court documents. Investigators say the boy’s buttocks were extremely black and blue. He also had other bruises and scrapes on his arms, court records state. The boy stated his father, identified as Joseph Shore, beat him with his cane and his mother, Christina Shore, pulled his hair, according to court documents.
Officers went to the Shore’s home located along the 100 block of South 4th Street and spoke with Joseph where he admitted to spanking the boy after he stole food from the family, according to the criminal complaint. Joseph told police he had the boy pull down his pants and spanked him 11 times for his age, court documents state.
Police say the marks on the boy’s buttocks were inconsistent with a spanking.
Authorities also learned that the bumps on the boy’s scalp were caused by his mother pulling his hair.
A preliminary hearing for the couple is scheduled for Nov. 10.
