CBS5 WNEMMan Sentenced To Prison For Abuse Of Son
Tuesday September 22, 2009
BAY CITY, Mich. -- A Bay City man who authorities said abused his 7-year-old son and allowed others to torture the boy has been sentenced to at least five years in prison.
Bay County Circuit Judge William Caprathe on Monday sentenced the Michael S. Harsha, 37, to five to 15 years in prison.
The man pleaded guilty Aug. 7 to first-degree child abuse.
Authorities said the abuse took place in 2007 at Harsha's Bay City home on Ninth Street, and a couple living at the home starved, tortured and burned the child.
Cassandra and Michael Pasquale were each sentenced to 15 years in prison back in July after pleading no contest to first-degree child abuse and assault with intent to do great bodily harm.
Watch: Bay City Pair Sentenced For Abusing Boy
The case was uncovered in September 2007, when a social worker from the Department of Human Services visited the home and noticed a burn on the child's arm.
The boy's mother died in 2003.
He has since been adopted by family members.
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July 20, 2009
BAY CITY, Mich. -- A 9-year-old Bay City child who was beaten and badly burned told the couple convicted of abusing him that he forgave them during their sentencing on Monday.
Cassandra and Michael Pasquale were each sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading no contest to first-degree child abuse and assault with intent to do great bodily harm.
As Cassandra Pasquale was being led away after the judge handed down her sentence, the boy yelled out, ‘Cassie, I forgive you.”
The woman responded while glancing at the boy with ‘Thank you.”
Police said the couple had been taken in by the boy’s father and the abuse occurred from March to September 2007.
A social worker who visited the home noticed a burn mark on the boy’s arm.
When the boy’s father took him to a hospital, authorities were alerted when it was discovered the boy only weighed 31 lbs at age 7.
The victim told police he was sporadically given food.
The boy’s mother died when he was 3.
The boy’s father has a court date coming up in August, but it is unclear what charges he is facing.
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