Rita Barr and her husband Staffon Barr are facing felony charges after allegedly handcuffing their 9-year-old son to a table and beating him with a tree branch in Tolleson, Arizona.
The couple reportedly told police they were disciplining the boy for an incident on the school bus on May 5. According to an arrest affidavit, the parents said they wanted to show the child what happens to bad kids, with Staffon Barr allegedly handcuffing the boy to the dining room table while Rita Barr struck him multiple times with a tree branch. The boy later told a school nurse about the incident after complaining of pain in his arm and chest, and visible injuries consistent with the described abuse were observed by authorities. The sister of the victim also described previous similar incidents involving a stick from the backyard. The Barrs gave conflicting accounts to investigators about the objects used during the beating. Both parents now face charges of felony child abuse and aggravated assault. They were being held on bond and are scheduled to appear in court on May 13.