Published: December 14, 2007 11:59 pm            

Father charged with abusing young son

Editor’s note: This story contains information that may be disturbing, and should be read with caution.



SOMERSET – A Somerset man was arrested Friday for routinely abusing and humiliating his 2-year-old son, including – police said – pouring hot sauce down the boy’s throat and writing obscene words and images on him with a permanent marker.

Jason Flick, 27, of Village Way, was arraigned before District Judge Art Cook of Somerset and placed in the county jail in lieu of $25,000 bond.

“I have seen cases where there was greater physical harm. But the thing that strikes me most is just the amount of cruelty involved,” borough police Chief Randy Cox said.

“Talk about bullying an innocent.”

Flick was captured without incident at the scrapyard where he works, Cox said.

The arrest caps an investigation that began on Sept. 30, when Flick took his son to the emergency room at Somerset Hospital for treatment of a broken leg and fractured skull. The boy later was transported to Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh.

Hospital personnel contacted police after determining the injuries could not have happened by the boy falling down stairs, as Flick maintained.

The child is in foster care, where he has been since being released from the hospital.

Authorities said the boy’s 19-year-old mother, Rogi Spangler, remains under investigation, al-though no charges have been filed.

Described as a “pattern of abuse,” it allegedly began soon after Flick was released from jail last December after serving time for assault.

Borough police said Flick:

• Repeatedly shot the boy with a “soft air” gun, causing redness, welts and bruising. Police said Flick indicated he did it “for his own amusement.”

• Placed beer in the child’s “sippy cup” to watch the boy drink it.

• Caught a snake at the playground and wrapped it around his son’s neck, forcing the crying and hysterical boy to wear it for five minutes.

• Drew a sexually explicit picture on the child’s face with a permanent marker.

• Forced open the boy’s mouth and poured hot sauce down his throat.

• Hit the child in the back of the head with a toy gun while they were at Laurel Hill State Park in May, knocking him to the ground.

• Left the child alone or confined him to his room for hours when no adult was home.

• Used the marker to draw a mustache, goatee and large eyebrows on the boy, as well as covering his body with derogatory words.

Flick faces charges of aggravated assault, child endangerment, simple assault, reckless endangerment and furnishing alcohol to minors.

A preliminary hearing tentatively is scheduled for Tuesday before Cook.

Cox praised detectives, particularly Criminal Investigator Ruth Beckner.

“These types of investigations are not at all enjoyable for the officer,” Cox said. “They just about break your heart. Yet these investigators work through that to produce a solid investigation and prosecution.”

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.