This is a sad story on which the Charleroi criminal court was to pronounce its verdict this Monday. It had to give its verdict regarding the abuse inflicted on little Livio, aged 9, by his stepfather Michael and his mother Caroline. Deprivation of food, confinement in a room without windows, lack of hygiene, deprivation of board games and various humiliations: nothing was spared in Livio. Things had gotten to the point that the child’s troubles were made known to his teacher by reading one of his drawings.Don’t worry, I will join you soon.
Describing himself as the victim and speaking in a barely audible voice, Michael receives a sentence of seven years in prison, while the prosecution requested a sentence of five years. Mother Caroline receives a sentence of three years in prison. Abuse and deprivation were charged against each of them but the stepfather was held responsible for the beatings.
Back to this sordid story. For punishment, Michael admitted that he had given lines to copy and forced Livio to kneel, sometimes with a weight at arm’s length, sometimes with his hands on his shoulders. The rest of the time, he spent time in his room with a bucket as a toilet and sleeping on a sheet which Mr Charles, the lawyer for the civil party, commented on “Not to be dirty but disgusting. The child’s school documents shed light on his distress, particularly a drawing of a small coffin with a note for his grandmother, who had died some time before: “Don’t worry, I will join you soon.
Michael remained unreacted, staring into space throughout the debate, adopting a new stance during the verdict. He was already the father of a little boy, he had a habit of telling the difference between the two boys. The unemployed man spent his nights in front of his games console. As for mother Caroline, she stayed in the background and, according to experts, “He will face moral dominance from his partner who sets the rules at home.” In her defense, she pretended to secretly bring snacks to her son and relieve him of the burden during his punishment.
While Michael said at the end of the arguments that the little kid couldn’t be locked up all the time, he was reminded of little Livio”He was taken out of his room at 4 pm. Is it night already sir? In his lengthy indictment, the prosecutor stated and demonstrated that everything that was alleged was well-founded. The verdict confirms the guilt and involvement of each parent in the abuse of a little boy who will have to rebuild his life.