A Pennsylvania man has been arrested for trying to light his 4-year-old son on fire to "burn the demon out of him." The young boy was found naked and drenched in gasoline but otherwise uninjured.
According to local police, the father known as Josiah James McIntosh was attempting to put his son on fire, as reported by WJAC-TV, also citing the criminal complaint in the case.
McIntosh is indicted with multiple charges of assault, reckless endangerment, terroristic threats, arson, and child endangerment as specified in court documents.
Officers were dispatched to man's residence at around 1:15 p.m. on Wednesday after a report of a domestic situation.
An abuse comes to light
According to WJAC-TV, after arriving at the scene, authorities conversed with a man that explained McIntosh attacked and flung a brick at him when he got between the suspect and his attempt at harming his son.
The officers also observed notable injuries found on the man's left side along with his head and ear area.
The suspect, McIntosh, on the other hand, was found after a quick search of the neighbourhood. He was reported to have reeked of gasoline and was discovered in possession of a disposable lighter.
The Tribune-Democrat reported the 4-year-old boy was found with the smell of gasoline inside the residence by the man who intervened. He also found McIntosh inside who allegedly exclaimed, "If we can't get out the demon, I'll burn it out of him."
Officer Christopher Kesslak told the Tribune-Democrat that he saw McIntosh doused the boy in gasoline and made a reference of his intent to light his son on fire.
The latest reports describe McIntosh being held at Cambria Country Prison. He has a $75,000 bail and is scheduled for May 27 for a preliminary hearing.
Also Read: Psychosis, Mental Distress May Increase Due to COVID-19 Pandemic
Hiding in plain sight
The arrest comes in a time where reports of child abuse have gone down. This may well be a situation to celebrate, but experts believe that the decline is due to more cases going unnoticed as schools close and more kids stay at home.
Social distancing keeping people at home and children out of sight has states across the country, revealing a reduced number of child abuse reports, according to CNN.
Adults such as teachers and coaches who have interactions with children are required by law to report any suspicious activities or signs that may point to hidden acts of child abuse. Stay-at-home kids and interaction via online platforms make it difficult to detect these signs.
Potential victims are also less likely to voice out their concerns due to the possibility of their abusers lurking in the background of calls and video conferences.
A professor os social work research at Washington University in St. Louis, Melissa Johnson-Reid said: "When children are no longer visible to the vast majority of people who are trained and required to reports, and then you see this kind of decline, we get super concerned."
Intervention and clinical director of the National Children's Advocacy Center, Paula Wolfteich, explained safety protocols and social distancing guidelines have made contact with potential abusive families difficult and crippled their organization's ability to support victims.
The added stress of the recent unemployment disaster has aided in the increase in potential abuse towards children.
Johnson-Reid explained that the pandemic is both a reason to start making preparations for going back to normal as well as investing in our families and making sure that the long-term costs are being saved across the board.
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