Authorities: Abused 38 pound boy kept on dog leash

LAKE CHARLES, La. (AP) - A 27-year-old Lake Charles woman has been charged with 25 counts of cruelty to a juvenile after deputies found her 9-year-old stepson malnourished and tied up in a room.

Jaime B. Day was also booked with two counts of second-degree cruelty. A judge set her bond at $5.5 million.

Her husband, 30-year-old Murry Dalton Day, was booked with five counts of cruelty and one count of second-degree cruelty. His bond was set at $2 million. Murry Day turned himself in Tuesday.

Kim Myers with the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office said deputies found the boy tied to a door knob with a dog leash on Feb 19. She said he weighed about 38 pounds.

It wasn't immediately clear if the Days have an attorney.

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Information from: American Press, 

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Lake Charles, LA – From Calcasieu Parish S.O. - February 19 the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office received a complaint from a woman living in Moss Bluff concerning the welfare of a nine year old child.  When questioned by CPSO Deputy Jason Schnake, the complainant advised him the child was very thin and possibly being forced to stay in his bedroom.  He also learned the child resided with his father and stepmother in south Lake Charles.

                        Schnake traveled to the house in south Lake Charles to check on the welfare of the child.  Once inside the house he observed a dog leash that was tied from one door knob to another to keep a nine year old boy weighing 38 pounds inside the room where he was laying on the only thing in the room, a filthy foam pallet on top of box springs covered with blood.  On the pallet was a bloody and urine saturated sheet.  The smell of urine was very strong in the room.  The boy was dressed in a t-shirt, shorts and wearing a diaper with multiple bruises to his body and face.

                        The boy was taken to the hospital where he stayed for 13 days.  It was determined at the hospital his body temperature was 92 ° which indicated he was in hypothermia due to malnutrition.

                        Further investigation revealed his stepmother, Jaime B. Day, 27, 2841 Southern Ridge Dr., Lake Charles, was depriving the child of food, not allowing him to eat with the family but forcing him to watch the family eat.  It was also determined the boy would be so hungry at times he would eat his own feces and drink his own urine to survive.

                        There was a 2^nd degree burn on the boy’s back caused by Day placing a sock containing rice that was heated up on his back.

                        Day has been charged with 25 counts of cruelty to a juvenile and 2 counts of 2^nd degree cruelty to a juvenile.  Judge David Ritchie set her bond at $5.5 million.  She has been booked into the Calcasieu Correctional Center.

                        The father, Murry Dalton Day, 30, same address, is being charged with 5 counts of cruelty to a juvenile; and 1 counts of 2^nd degree cruelty to a juvenile.  Judge David Ritchie set his bond at $2 million.  A warrant has been issued for his arrest.  He is expected to turn himself into the Calcasieu Correctional Center today.

                        After examining the child, doctors have verified the injuries and the malnutrition are consistent with child abuse.  Detectives have determined this abuse occurred from late last year until present.

                         There are two other children in the home – a 4 year old boy who is the biological child of the Day’s, and a 6 year old boy who is Jaime Day’s child and adopted by Murry Day.  Those two children do not appear to have been abused.  All three children have been removed from the home.

                        Six years ago, the biological mother of the 9 year old boy’s parental rights were terminated when the Office of Community Service determined physical abuse had occurred. Murry Day was given custody of the boy at that time.

                        CPSO Detective Michael Primeaux is the lead investigator on this case.  The investigation is continuing with more arrests possible.