A Volusia County man is now facing serious charges after deputies say he put two children through months of disturbing abuse, including forcing a 12-year-old boy to live in a laundry room with no air conditioning.
William Conner, 42, was arrested Thursday on two counts each of child abuse and child neglect, according to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.
Investigators say the boy took the brunt of the mistreatment. According to deputies, Conner kept the child confined to a detached laundry room that had no cooling system at all, even as Florida’s summer heat pushed temperatures higher. The boy reportedly didn’t have access to a proper bathroom either and had to rely on a bucket instead.
The alleged abuse went well beyond just living conditions. Deputies say the boy was given food contaminated with animal feces and water mixed with urine. When the child realized what he had actually consumed, he became sick. Deputies say Conner’s reaction to this was to laugh.
On top of that, investigators allege Conner would sometimes keep the boy from sleeping altogether, playing loud audio into the room through the night to keep him awake.
A 14-year-old girl living in the same home was also reportedly subjected to some of the same treatment, although officials say the boy appeared to be the main target of the abuse.
The case first came to attention in May, when Florida’s Department of Children and Families referred the situation to the sheriff’s office. Deputies spent time building the case, and once they had enough evidence to establish probable cause, they made the arrest on Thursday.
Samantha Lucas, 33, was also arrested in connection with the case. She is facing two counts of child neglect.
Both Conner and Lucas have since posted bond and been released. Conner is scheduled to appear in court on August 11, while Lucas’s arraignment is set for August 18.
According to deputies, both children have been removed from the home and are no longer in Conner’s care.
Sheriff Mike Chitwood was blunt in his response to the case, indicating that regardless of what else happens this year, this suspect is on pace to be remembered as one of the worst his office has dealt with.