Dad, two other arrested for severe abuse of child; what happened to mother? (Linton, Indiana)

Three people involved in the vicious abuse (torture) of this child: Daddy, Daddy's girlfriend, and Daddy's (male) buddy. So what happened to the mother of this child? Why does Daddy apparently have custody? How did he get it, who gave it to him? Wonder if Daddy doled out similar treatment to this child's mother, and if that explains at least in part why she's "missing".

Indiana has a reputation as a very Fathers Rights friendly state, so it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if this brutal father stripped Mom of custody through the courts. But as usual, there is no word of explanation as to how Daddy gained access to this child.

Dad is identified as MICHAEL LIECHTY.

http://www.wbiw.com/local/archive/2013/10/third-person-arrested-in-severe-child-abuse-case.php

Third Person Arrested In Severe Child Abuse Case

Updated October 16, 2013 8:47 AM

(LINTON) - A third person has been arrested and charged in a severe case of child abuse in Linton.

26-year-old Brandon Lee Stringer, of Linton, was arrested on a charge of neglect of a dependent, battery resulting in bodily injury to a victim less than 14-years-old, intimidation involving a threat to commit a forcible felony. He is being held on a $50,000 cash-only bond.

According to Linton Police Detective Josh Goodman; Stringer and the child's father, 29-year-old Michael Liechty and his girlfriend, 19- year-old Bonnie Irvin, are all accused of abusing the child.

The child had numerous severe bruises and red marks on his face, head, ears and all over his back. There were long scratches on both sides of his neck and he suffered a busted lip. There were also numerous bruises on his thigh and some were in various stages of healing.

The Department of Child Services was also contacted and is investigating after a babysitter reported the abuse.

According to police, Liechty and Irvin said the child has behavior problems and caused some of his own injuries.

But officers claim the couple held the boy down while spraying him with cold water for 20 to 30 minutes at a time, grabbed the child's feet and pulled him down causing him to smack his face off the floor, blooded his nose, strangled the child, threw the child against the walls with such force that the walls broke or it left holes in the wall and beat the child with a wooden object.

Stinger admitted to whipping the child, thrusting the child in the air causing the child's head to hit the ceiling, scaring the child by holding the child against the wall and then punching a hole in the wall and witnessed the child being abused by Irvin and didn't stop it.

In Irvin's case, a public defender filed a motion last week to reduce her bond - $75,000 cash only, and the motion was denied by Judge Dena Martin.

Det. Goodman has been leading the ongoing investigation, with assistance from LPD Officers Jason Wilson and Tom Jerrels. Other agencies including the Department of Child Services are also involved.