A 44-year-old woman in Louisiana faces cruelty to a juvenile charges after dragging a 14-year-old boy face down through dog urine, authorities say. Her 45-year-old partner has been charged as principal to the cruelty. Both remain in custody awaiting arraignment.
Gina Sagona, 44, and Mark Sagona, 45, were arrested on Monday and booked into the Ascension Parish Jail in Donaldsonville, Louisiana. The Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office announced the charges this week following a report from the Department of Children and Family Services about a child abuse incident at their home in Ascension Parish, located between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Jail records confirm both are still in custody, with Gina Sagona held on a $50,000 bond and Mark Sagona on a $40,000 bond. They await arraignment in court, and the investigation continues. The relationship between the Sagonas and the teenager remains unclear. Detectives reviewed home video footage showing Gina Sagona forcing the boy face down into dog urine and dragging him through it. The footage also captured the boy being struck multiple times, with Mark Sagona present during portions of the incident. Gina Sagona admitted to the abuse during an interview with investigators, according to the sheriff's office.