UPDATE on custodial dad JOHN CORNELIUS and the stepmonster. Dad's looking sicker all the time--he chased a 5-year-old with a chainsaw? What kind of crazy f--ker does that? The little boy is currently in the hospital, fighting for his life from Dad's beating. Where's Mom in all this? And how did Dad get custody? Who made that decision? Reporters need to find this out pronto. Or might that create a scandal in high places?
http://www.kbmt12.com/news/local/53826742.html
CPS: Father Chased 5-Year-Old Son With Chainsaw
News KBMT
Bryan Rupp
Story Created: Aug 20, 2009 at 2:47 PM CDT
Story Updated: Aug 20, 2009 at 10:28 PM CDT
At first sight the yard on FM 252 about six miles south of Jasper looks like the perfect place for children. Toys, swing set and a trampoline fill the backyard.
But authorities say what happened here to a 5-year old boy is absolutely heartbreaking.
"Father was seen throwing the child into objects," said Shari Pulliam who is the public information officer for Child Protective Services." Reports say he physically abused him with the heel of his hand."
"There are reports that the father was seen chasing his child around the property with a chainsaw to try and make him walk on his injured right leg," added Pulliam.
On Thursday night the child was in critical condition hooked up to a ventilator at a Houston hospital, fighting for his life.
"That child has a severe staph infection that has started to spread throughout the child's body," said Pulliam.
Charged in the alleged beating is the child's father 24-year-old John Cornelius. Also charged are his girlfriend 27-year-old Jessie Waddell and her mother 54-year-old wanda Mack.
Late Wednesday night police charged Waddell and Macks with the same felony charges.
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Authorities say a 5-year-old boy is fighting for his life as the child remains in critical condition at a Houston children's hospital.
Jasper County deputies arrested the child's father this past weekend. His father, 24-year-old John Cornelius is accused of beating his 5-year-old son.
Cornelius is still in a Jasper County jail on a $500,000 bond. According to the Jasper County Sheriff's Office, Cornelius' girlfriend Jessie Waddell and her mother Wanda Macks are charged with failure to report child abuse. In addition both Waddell and Macks were also charged with the same offenses as Cornelis.
On Thursday Shai Pulliam with Child Protective Services said the child was beaten severely and Cornelius injured the child's right leg. Pulliam says the father chased the boy around the yard with a chainsaw forcing him to run on the injured leg.
Pulliam says the child is suffering from a staph infection that has spread over his body.The women had only been accused of failure to report the beating previously.