A Navy man and his wife were charged with felony child abuse after they beat their 8-year-old son so badly that he ran away from home, Prince William County police said.
On Monday, police responded to a call regarding a found child on Glen Meadow Lane in Bristow, just before 1 a.m. The 8-year-old boy had “severe bruising all over his body,” according to police. After an investigation, police determined the boy had been allegedly beaten on Sunday and left home as a result, and that he had allegedly been abused on “a constant basis” for an unspecified period of time.
Matthew Sweeney, 39, and Amy Sweeney, 41, both of Bristow, were charged with felony child abuse and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Both have been released on $20,000 unsecured bonds. Matthew Sweeney is in the Navy, police said, but they could not specify his rank.
