Dad accused of locking 12-year-old daughter in dog cage, threatening to electrify her (Cincinnati, Ohio)

Dad JAMES TAPKE is trying to play this as a big joke (ha ha), but notice how he behaved in court: muttering profanities, obscene gestures. Yeah, real charmer this one. Our earlier account did not mention a mother in the home at all. Just a grandmother. Now we hear that the children are "with their mother at this time while he remains behind bars." Well, that's vague enough--though the media is usually vague about these matters. Does Daddy get the kids back when/if he gets out of jail? Are we saying here that he had custody of these kids before? It sure sounds like a distinct possibility. If so, who gave this torture freak custody and why? And why does the media refuse to report the living/custodial arrangements behind these cases? Why the constant obfuscation?

http://www.onntv.com/content/stories/2012/01/20/story-father-dog-cage.html

Southwest Ohio
Dad Accused Of Locking Girl In Dog Cage

Friday January 20, 2012 8:49 PM
UPDATED: Friday January 20, 2012 8:56 PM

CINCINNATI - A Springfield Township father who stands accused of tying his daughter up, then locking her in a dog cage and threatening to electrify her, told a judge on Friday that it was all a big joke.

James Tapke, 41, appeared in court Friday on a charge of child endangering, ONN's affiliate WKRC reported.

Court documents indicate that the alleged abuse happened on January 10.

Tapke apparently bounded his 12 year old daughters' hands and feet with duct tape and shoved her in a dog cage. He then dropped water on his daughter's face and kept her trapped for 20 minutes. That's when her brother let her out.

Once freed, the girl allegedly tried to get back at her dad by putting water on his face. At that point, police said that Tapke bound her up with the duct tape again and put her back in the dog cage.

Tapke then allegedly ordered his son to get a portable battery jumppack from the garage so he could electrify the cage while his daughter was locked inside and threatened to use the jumppack.

Tapke finally let the girl out of the cage, but not before allegedly taking pictures of her bound and trapped.

Police said that Tapke's son posted those pictures to Facebook, but those pictures have been deleted.

The abuse allegedly happened at the family's home on Waterbury Circle.

Tapke's lawyer told the judge in court on Friday that his client was just joking around and believes that the Facebook photos will prove that case.

The prosecutor asked the judge to double Tapke's bond to show the seriousness of the allegation.

Tapke is now being held on $50,000 bond.

During the arraignment, Tapke shook his head, muttered profanities under his breath and then made an obscene gesture at the cameras when he left.

Tapke's daughter and son are with their mother at this time while he remains behind bars.