Custodial dad accused of severely abusing children, deliberately burning them (Harfield County, Maryland)

Custodial dad STEVEN KENNETH HELGASON has an extensive history of domestic violence and child abuse. So it's no big surprise that he was torturing these kids (torching them with flaming aersosol cans) for his own sadistic kicks. This is what abusers do. AND THIS IS WHY THEY WANT AND DEMAND CUSTODY. So they can keep the pipeline of victims flowing.

I'm disappointed that this reporter suggests as "fact" that the mother willingly walked out on these kids. She doesn't report her source for this information, but I suppose that's what Daddy told the police and the kids, so it's assumed to be true. More often than not, it's a lie. I can't tell you how often I've seen the "mom walked out" story reported as fact, only to find out with subsequent research that Mom was stripped of custody by a corrupt, fathers-rights/abuser-friendly court system. On occasion, these mothers have actually contacted me to set the record straight. In a few cases they were severely beaten and driven away with threats of death if they returned. Then there are the cases where Mom mysteriously "disappeared"--we're told she had supposedly "run off" with some "boyfriend" that nobody remembers her mentioning in any way, shape, or form. And wouldn't you know. No one had actually seen or heard from Mom for years (meaning Daddy hid the body extraordinarily well). Do you really think a guy who torches kids for fun is beyond homicide?

http://www.examiner.com/gifted-children-in-baltimore/alert-hairstylist-abingdon-finds-signs-of-child-abuse-and-reports-it

Alert Hairstylist in Abingdon Finds Signs of Child Abuse and Reports It

Gretta DeMennato, Harford County Gifted Children Examiner
December 20, 2011

When a child sits in the hair chair there is some anxiety on both parts - the stylist and the customer. The stylist had no idea that when a pair of young boys came to the Sports Clips in Abingdon that she would find evidence of child abuse, but she did.

While cutting one of the boys' hair, the stylist found evidence that the boy's hair had been burned. Instead of keeping quiet, she informed authorities.

Upon investigation by the Harford County Sheriff's it was discovered that these boys and one other sibling had been suffering terrible abuse at the hands of their father - Steven Kenneth Helgason (44) of Whiteford.

Reports state that Helgason allegedly used aersol cans of deodorant and a lighter to scorch his children. According to reports, Helgason could have burned his children using this method as many as 100 times or more.

One of the children also told authorities that their father once held one of the children upside down and stripped the child naked. In the charging documents it is also stated that one of the older children was ordered by his father to burn his siblings in a similar manner.

Harford County State’s Attorney Joseph Cassilly stated that the motive Helgason had for burning his children is not yet known to investigators.

Cassilly further stated to ABC2News that, "It's very strange. It's not clear, but it does not appear this was an issue of discipline or excess discipline or anything like that,” said Cassilly, “These allegations are very unusual, and that's one of the main reasons we asked for no bond."

In a common theme when it comes to child abusse, this is not Helgason first brush with authorities and child abuse charges. He has a story of prior child abuse incidents and domestic violence charges. Helgason's wife sought divorce from him but, left the seven children to remain in his custody.

"Any child abuse case is troubling, but given the number of children that were involved here, this is certainly something that's very upsetting, because hopefully the mother will get re-engaged in some of this,” Cassilly told ABC2News, “They were separated so what knowledge she had isn't clear and I don't think we've finished our investigation to that point yet."

The children have been placed in protective custody by Social Services during this holiday season. Helgason, their father, remains in the Harford County Detention Center with no bond.
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