NOBLESVILLE, Ind. – A Kokomo man is being charged with battery and strangulation after reportedly abusing a 13-year-old boy.
Police said they were contacted by the Hamilton County Department of Child Services on a report of neglect and physical abuse on Aug. 23. A mother stated that she witnessed a man abusing her teen son for several months.
He was identified as 46-year-old Eric Christian Andersen.
Andersen was accused of strangling the boy and holding him down. The teen was seen kicking his feet against the wall and heard gasping for air on a Ring camera. The man also reportedly made the teen hold a plank position and then kicked him before hitting him with a roll of duct tape.
The woman told investigators that the boy still has injuries due to loss of oxygen to his brain including memory loss and pain around his tailbone and genital area. She stated she was often afraid of retaliation if she intervened.
In a later interview with the teen victim, he confirmed that he was beaten often by Andersen.
The teen said he was kicked, hit with a belt, rope, shoe and an HDMI cable. Andersen had strangled him to the point of unconsciousness.
Court documents stated Andersen told the boy, “he would run over him and he would be killed if he could not keep up.” This was in reference to the boy being forced to run on the front and side of Andersen’s moving car at approximately 10 mph.
In one instance the 13-year-old had fallen and was nearly run over. Investigators detailed several other gruesome reported punishments the child endured.
Andersen was charged with several counts related to domestic battery:
- domestic battery and battery causing serious bodily injury, Level 3 felonies;
- domestic battery and battery when the victim is under 14, Level 5 felonies;
- two counts of strangulation, Level 6 felonies;
- and intimidation, Class A misdemeanor.
An initial hearing has not been set in the case.
