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SALT LAKE CITY — Two Salt Lake City men who police say dragged a toddler partially across a street and then tied him to a tree while they smoked marijuana were arrested for investigation of child abuse.
On Sunday, Richard Marsh, 28, and Paul Rapp, 34, were crossing 300 West near 500 North about noon. Marsh had his young son with him, said Salt Lake police detective Greg Wilking. The boy was being kept on a backpack-harness with a leash.
Booking documents from the Salt Lake County Jail indicate the boy is 4 years old.
As they were crossing the street, witnesses saw the boy trip and get dragged by Rapp the rest of the way across the street, over the curb and through about 20 feet of wood chips, jail documents indicate. Once on the other side, Rapp secured one end of the leash to a tree.
The boy was found to have fresh abrasions and scratches on his back above his waistline, jail documents state.
Rapp and Marsh then sat down, loaded a glass pipe and smoked what appeared to be marijuana, jail documents state. Witnesses saw the two men smoke the pipe and then throw it as police approached. The pipe was later recovered.
Marsh was arrested for investigation of child abuse, child endangerment, marijuana and drug paraphernalia possession.
Rapp was arrested for investigation of child abuse and child endangerment. He told police he dragged the boy but didn't intend to harm him, according to jail documents. He denied smoking marijuana.
Wilking credited the witnesses who called police when they saw something wrong and then stuck around until officers arrived.
