A
suburban Philadelphia prosecutor says he will seek the death penalty
against a man and his girlfriend for an "American horror story" in the
three-day torture and beating death of the woman's 3-year-old son in
their mobile home for refusing to eat his breakfast.
Gary Fellenbaum, 23, and Jillian Tait, 31, were charged Thursday with beating Scotty McMillan to death with a homemade whip, a curtain rod, and their fists, WTXF-TV reports.
"Let me tell you about an American horror story," Chester County District Attorney Thomas Hogan told reporters. "Little Scotty McMillan is dead."
He said the couple, who had met while working at a Wal-Mart, laughed after hanging Scott upside down and striking him repeatedly with a frying pan, eventually beating him to death.
"It was an unspeakable act of depravity," the district attorney said.
Hogan said Fellenbaum weighs 275 pound man "and is punching a 3-year-old boy in the head."
At one point, Hogan said, the boy was taped to a chair and, when he lost consciousness, was revived for another round of beatings.
"When at some point on Tuesday, the water wouldn't revive him, they went shopping and went out for pizza," said Hogan.
Scott, according to police, had significant bruising over much of his head and body, and blood coming from his nose, WTXF reports.
"Our ER nurses see a lot of terrible things, but when they saw his body, they wept," Hogan said.
The couple, who moved in together last month, lived in the mobile home along with Fellenbaum's estranged wife, Amber, and three children — Scott, 3, his 6-year-old brother Ryan and the Fellenbaums' 11-month-old daughter.
Ryan was hospitalized in Delaware with bruises and the infant was placed into foster care, authorities said.
The mobile home park is located outside the city of Coatesville, about 35 miles northwest of Philadelphia.
Police do not believe drugs or alcohol fueled the violence. Instead, according to a criminal complaint, Fellenbaum told police he felt "disrespected" by Scott, The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
The prosecutor said what started as spankings morphed into "concentrated, repeated, escalating abuse." Then, "over three days he was systematically tortured and beaten to death," Hogan said.
Police were finally summoned on Tuesday in a 911 call by Amber, was charged with child endangerment for allegedly failing to help the child.
Gary Fellenbaum, 23, and Jillian Tait, 31, were charged Thursday with beating Scotty McMillan to death with a homemade whip, a curtain rod, and their fists, WTXF-TV reports.
"Let me tell you about an American horror story," Chester County District Attorney Thomas Hogan told reporters. "Little Scotty McMillan is dead."
He said the couple, who had met while working at a Wal-Mart, laughed after hanging Scott upside down and striking him repeatedly with a frying pan, eventually beating him to death.
"It was an unspeakable act of depravity," the district attorney said.
Hogan said Fellenbaum weighs 275 pound man "and is punching a 3-year-old boy in the head."
At one point, Hogan said, the boy was taped to a chair and, when he lost consciousness, was revived for another round of beatings.
"When at some point on Tuesday, the water wouldn't revive him, they went shopping and went out for pizza," said Hogan.
Scott, according to police, had significant bruising over much of his head and body, and blood coming from his nose, WTXF reports.
The couple, who moved in together last month, lived in the mobile home along with Fellenbaum's estranged wife, Amber, and three children — Scott, 3, his 6-year-old brother Ryan and the Fellenbaums' 11-month-old daughter.
Ryan was hospitalized in Delaware with bruises and the infant was placed into foster care, authorities said.
The mobile home park is located outside the city of Coatesville, about 35 miles northwest of Philadelphia.
Police do not believe drugs or alcohol fueled the violence. Instead, according to a criminal complaint, Fellenbaum told police he felt "disrespected" by Scott, The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
The prosecutor said what started as spankings morphed into "concentrated, repeated, escalating abuse." Then, "over three days he was systematically tortured and beaten to death," Hogan said.
Police were finally summoned on Tuesday in a 911 call by Amber, was charged with child endangerment for allegedly failing to help the child.
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