Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
MT. PLEASANT, Sanpete County — A Sanpete County man was recently charged for allegedly using a cattle prod on his two young sons.
The 48-year-old Mt. Pleasant man was charged Sept. 22 in 6th District Court with two counts of aggravated child abuse, a third-degree felony. KSL.com is not naming the man at this time to protect the identities of any victims.
On Sept. 18, investigators interviewed the man's 7-year-old son, who stated that "on more than 10 occasions over the past year, and as recently as September, his father had used a yellow and green electronic cattle prod upon him as a means of discipline. The juvenile further alleged that his older brother, who is 9 years old, was also subjected to the same treatment," according to a police booking affidavit.
The 7-year-old boy told investigators "his father applied the cattle prod to his arms, legs, stomach and chest through his clothing, and on one occasion, directly to his right forearm, causing an injury. The juvenile stated that when the cattle prod is applied to his body, it causes extreme pain and 'feels like being cut in half,'" the affidavit states.
When the boy's brother was interviewed, he corroborated what his brother had said, according to police.
"Both brothers provided a detailed description of the location where their father keeps the cattle prod inside the residence, and both boys stated that the application of the cattle prod to their bodies was conducted at their father's and grandfather's residence," the affidavit states.
Sanpete County sheriff's deputies served a search warrant on the property and seized a "Springer Magrath 200PP cattle prod," according to court documents.
The father's next court hearing is scheduled for Nov. 5.
Child abuse resources:
- Utah Domestic Violence Coalition operates a confidential statewide, 24-hour domestic abuse hotline at 1-800-897-LINK (5465). Resources are also available online: udvc.org. The statewide child abuse and neglect hotline is 1-855-323-DCFS (3237).
Help with children
Those who feel stressed out with a child, who need a break or who feel like they need counseling or training can reach out to one of the following agencies:
- The Family Support Center has 15 locations throughout the state and offers a free crisis nursery for parents who have to keep appointments or who are stressed out. They also offer counseling and family mentoring. Call 801-955-9110 or visit familysupportcenter.org/contact.php for more information.
- Prevent Child Abuse Utah provides home visiting in Weber, Davis, and Box Elder counties. Parent Educators provide support, education, and activities for families with young children. Their statewide education team offers diverse trainings on protective factors, digital safety, bullying, and child sex trafficking. They are available for in-person or virtual trainings and offer free online courses for the community at pcautah.org.
- The Office of Home Visiting works with local agencies to provide home visits to pregnant women and young families who would like to know more about being parents. Home visitors are trained and can provide information about breastfeeding, developmental milestones, toilet training, nutrition, mental health, home safety, child development, and much more. Find out more at homevisiting.utah.gov.
- The Safe Haven law allows birth parents in Utah to safely and anonymously give up custody of their newborn child at any hospital in the state, with no legal consequences and no questions asked. The child's mother can drop off the child, or the mother can ask someone else to do it for her. The newborns should be dropped off at hospitals that are open 24 hours a day. Newborns given up in this manner will be cared for by the hospital staff, and the Utah Division of Child and Family Services will find a home for the child. For more information, visit utahsafehaven.org or call the 24-hour hotline at 866-458-0058.
