The elderly couple told police they had been duped out of thousands of dollars and that their Social Security checks were diverted to Georgia, which gave detectives their first real clue.Shannon A. Thomas told police he was tired of his children misbehaving after he was arrested on suspicion of beating three of his children with a broom and belt Sunday, court papers said.
Preliminary charges filed Monday in court allege Thomas came home and found the house was not cleaned to his standards and directed the children to clean it up.
His 16-year-old stepdaughter, who is four months pregnant, reportedly refused, saying it was not her turn to clean. Thomas then grabbed the metal broom and hit the girl in the right upper arm until the broom broke into pieces, police said.
The children were then able to lock Thomas out of the home, but he re-entered through a window. When Thomas got back inside, family members ran upstairs and locked themselves in a bathroom, according to police.
Thomas also allegedly kicked his 12-year-old daughter and picked up a piece of the broom and hit her in the head and arm.
Police said he hit another child with his belt on the arm and thigh, leaving a bruise and welt.
He told police he knew his stepdaughter was pregnant when he hit her with the broom, court papers said, adding that he was tired of the kids misbehaving and the discipline got out of hand.
Thomas, 42, of the 2900 block of Euclid Avenue was arrested on preliminary charges of battery to a pregnant woman, battery to a household member in the presence of children, battery to a juvenile younger than 14 and neglect of dependent children with injury. He was being held in the Allen County Jail in lieu of $15,000 bail.
