New Details Emerge In 'Disgusting' Child Abuse Case Against Ohio Teen's Stepmother, Father

New court records in the case of an Ohio couple accused of “horrific” child abuse show the alleged acts against the teenage victim lasted longer than previously thought.

Married couple Amy and Anthony Dangel, ages 45 and 43, were arrested for multiple crimes related to the torture and starvation of Anthony’s biological son in February, as previously reported. New court records obtained by Cincinnati’s Fox 19 Now provide further details about the case, including how the victim alerted authorities to his own abuse and that of his younger brother.

Amy Dangel was charged with 11 counts of child endangerment after her 13-year-old stepson was found to have suffered such severe abuse that prosecutors likened his image to a concentration camp victim, according to local reports. Authorities said the boy was severely underweight, weighing only 65 pounds at age 12.

The Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office accused his stepmother of forcing the boy to stand in a corner for days at a time, strapping him to the bed, refusing to permit him to use the restroom and failing to provide him with his daily needs, such as food, bedding, and clothing.

She also allegedly beat the victim with multiple objects, including spoons and belts.

Local 12 News reported police found the boy after he escaped, then took him to a psychiatric center to begin treatment for severe PTSD. The victim also suffers from lasting muscular damage to his legs as a result of prolonged standing.

“There has been very severe damage done to this young man,” said a Hamilton County assistant prosecutor per Cincinnati news stations WKRC.

The boy’s biological father was charged with one count of child endangerment “for violating his duty to protect the child by knowing of the abuse and failing to stop it,” according to prosecutors.

“Personally, I find this defendant more reprehensible than the last,” said the assistant prosecutor. “Because this was his biological child that he failed to protect.”

New court records show the 13-year-old boy and his younger brother moved in with their father and stepmother in 2016 after their biological mother, Lisa Dangel, passed away in January of that year, according to Fox 19 Now. The boys’ maternal grandparents sought visitation with their grandsons following Lisa’s death, but that request was denied for unknown reasons.

In March 2021, the 13-year-old boy was treated at a crisis center following behavior and mental issues, court records show. During that time, his biological father only visited him once. The facility discharged the boy a month later, but the father refused to let the boy back in the home, according to Fox 19 News. Instead, he was moved to a group facility, where workers described him as a “compliant” child and a “good kid.”

In December 2021, the victim told staff members at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital that he and his younger brother suffered at the hands of their guardians.

Amy Dangel’s own two children were removed from the home and placed with their biological father, while the 13-year-old victim and his brother were placed with their biological mother’s family.

Amy and Anthony Dangel are only charged with the 13-year-old child’s abuse.

“This is disgusting and senseless,” Prosecuting Attorney Joseph T. Deters said following the arrests. “This is not a parent who lost control and made a mistake, but a woman who purposefully tortured a child for years. To do this to a child is beyond comprehension.”

Anthony Dangel is employed as a lieutenant with the Miami Township Fire Department, with members around the community striking to have him permanently removed from the department, according to an online petition. He is currently on administrative leave pending an investigation.

“There are some people who should simply never be parents,” continued Prosecuting Attorney Deters. “These two should never be permitted around children again, and we will do everything in our power to make sure that is the case.”

Both defendants are scheduled to return to court in April.