How Could You? Hall of Shame-Albert and Nancy Cusson UPDATED

This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.

From Lakeland, Florida, Albert Cusson, 57, guardian to a 13-year-old boy and his 9-year-old sister, and new wife Nancy Cusson, 47, were arrested on Thursday March 8, 2012 for child abuse.

“According to a Sheriff’s report, the couple made the teen boy kneel from 7am to 4pm for days, giving him only a meat and vegetable smoothie and refusing him water.

Many nights, he slept in the bathtub.

When he finally escaped, detectives claim he could barely walk, his knees hurt so badly.

Lisa Knock, the boy’s aunt, reported the abuse to law enforcement last year.

“One time he jumped my fence wearing an adult diaper because he was locked in the bathroom. The toilet seat was duct taped,” Knock said. “He begged me, ‘Can I stay here? Don’t make me go back over there.'”

Knock claims the boy’s abuse didn’t start with his grandparents, because he was sent to live with them, in part, to escape abuse from a stepfather.

He’d developed anger issues, Sandy said, and started misbehaving. The abuse was punishment to get him to straighten up.

“I’m really hurt and I’m angry at them because they’re not normal people!”

The couple faces additional charges for a 9-year-old girl, who detectives claim was also forced to kneel on the floor for hours at a time over several days.”

Lakeland couple faces child abuse charges after allegedly forcing a boy to kneel 10 days
[ABC Action News 3/9/12 by Allison Morrow]

“During the 10-day ordeal they made him sleep in a bathtub and fed him one “protein shake” a day containing meat, vegetables and other foods but then did not allow the boy to eat or drink anything after that, the statement added.”

“Officers said the boy had blistered knees, red marks on his back and struggled to walk when they found him. He was taken to the Lakeland Regional Medical Center for treatment.

The boy, who was home-schooled, told cops that the couple planned to enforce the punishment for 20 days in a row.

The Cussons admitted forcing the boy to kneel and said it was because he misbehaved during school. Albert Cusson claimed he was punished in the same way by his father.

They denied the kneeling ordeal caused him injuries, and told detectives it was, “the only punishment that works for him.”

Police said the pair may face further charges as a nine-year-old girl also claimed they forced her to kneel for two days straight.

“There is no excuse for this type of deplorable behavior,” Sheriff Grady Judd said. “People who mistreat children are the worst of the worst. Jail is too good for them — the Cussons will be more comfortable in the county jail than this little boy was when he was in their care.”

Florida couple accused of forcing teen to kneel nine hours daily for 10 days
[New York Post 3/9/12]

REFORM Puzzle Piece

Update:  A search of Polk County, Florida public criminal cases found that there are two cases each against Albert and Nancy. Each have 2 felony counts of aggravated child abuse by torture/malicious punishment/caging. Both have pretrial conferences on 6/26/12. There are 2 written pleas of not guilty. One on 3/21/12 and one on 6/8/12 for both parties

Update 2:  A search of Polk County, Florida public criminal cases found that there were an additional 7 hearings in 2012. The next Pretrial Conference is scheduled for February 12, 2013.

Update 3/July 25,2014: A search of Polk County, Florida public criminal cases found that there is a pre-trial court hearing Scheduled for 9/23/14.

Update 4:  A search of Polk County, Florida public criminal cases found that there is a hearing on 11/07/14.