Posted on 02/07/2002 5:41:50 AM PST by ResistorSister
CANTON His kidneys are failing.
He has a broken ankle and possibly a fractured skull from what investigators describe as a virtual head-to-toe beating.
And the 13-year-old victim says its all because he didnt do his fathers laundry correctly.
These troubling details emerged during a court hearing Wednesday as a judge removed Stephen Polen from the Minerva home where he had been living with his new family.
His father, Brook Polen, is accused of hitting his son dozens of times, at times with a hammer or mallet, before dragging the boy into a shower.
A grandfather claims the 13-year-old is the one who was out of control before authorities were called to the McKinley Avenue residence they all share.
Photo courtesy of Stark County Family Court
GETTING WORSE. Beating victim
Stephen Polen was moved to an Akron
hospital Wednesday when his
kidneys stopped working. The
13-year-old Minerva boys eyes
swelled shut after he was struck more
than 50 times Monday, allegedly
at the hands of his father.
The ice-cold shower water was running when Minerva police found the boy, face down and unconscious, Monday evening.
His health continues to deteriorate.
Stephen was moved out of Aultman Hospital on Wednesday and taken to Childrens Hospital Medical Center of Akron because his kidneys stopped working.
Once well enough to talk to social workers, he has been in and out of consciousness since.
Hes getting worse, said Randy Muth, attorney for the Stark County Department of Job and Family Services.
His agency filed a complaint Wednesday and was given protective custody of the teen.
The father also faces criminal charges of felonious assault, child endangering and domestic violence. He pleaded innocent during his appearance in Alliance Municipal Court.
He remains in Stark County Jail. The case likely will be reviewed by a grand jury.
Brook Polen, 34, declined to comment as he left court.
He told investigators that he was defending himself, an account supported by his 62-year-old father, Robert.
I know I blasted him (Stephen). I feel bad, but not that bad, Brook Polen was quoted as saying in the custody complaint filed in Stark County Family Court.
Brook Polen acknowledged hitting his son at least 50 times, Erin Franklin, a Job & Family Services social worker, said during the court hearing.
According to the boy, he was being punished after trying to clean his dads work clothes Saturday. The dirt wound up clogging the washer.
Two days later, his father ordered him to do 50 pushups as punishment. The boy told the social worker he could do less than 20 on the concrete floor.
Thats when Brook Polen allegedly got a mallet or hammer and began hitting the boy in the knees, feet, back and head. The teen said he was knocked out briefly after also being punched and kicked.
The teen said he was then ordered to shower and go to bed. Unable to walk, he was dragged to the shower and put under the cold water.
Photos taken at the hospital by social workers show dozens of welts and large bruises, many in a circular shape. His eyes have since swollen shut.
Brook Polen denied using a hammer or mallet to hit his son. Police confiscated several from the home.
One punch to the boys chin came with such force that the boy fell back into the wall and briefly lost consciousness, Franklin said.
Upon hearing Franklins account, Judge Jim James assigned custody to Job & Family Services so its workers could make any necessary medical decisions on Stephens behalf.
James also barred Brook Polen or his parents from having any contact with the youth.
Thats fine with Robert Polen, the boys grandfather.
I really dont care what happens to him, I really dont, he said in a telephone interview following the hearing.
This kid has been nothing but trouble.
The boy, also known as Stephen Raines, had been living in the small, southeastern Stark County community only a few months. He moved from California when his mother, Donna Raines, died in July.
Brook Polen told investigators he didnt even know the boy was his until about three years ago.
I think Brook really wanted to keep the child. He spent thousands (of dollars) to go get him, the grandfather said.
Brook and Stephen were living in the basement of the home. The grandparents and another teen live upstairs.
Job & Family Services got involved with the family in late December when concerns about the boys behavior and hygiene arose.
His behavior only got worse, the grandfather said.
The altercation grew out of the boys refusal to shower, not the botched laundry alleged by social workers, he said.
The grandfather said he heard screaming from the basement and got there in time to see Stephen, said to be 5 feet, 4 inches tall and 166 pounds, hit his father in the chest and face.
(Stephen) definitely initiated it. He threw the first punch, the grandfather said. (Brook) didnt hit him with anything but his fists.
According to the complaint filed in Stark County Family Court, Robert Polen said Stephen was putting on another show as the unconscious teen was being put into the ambulance.
The grandfather denies making the remark.
He says social workers should have taken the boy away sooner.
Job and Family Services stinks because they didnt do their jobs. If theyd have done their job, there wouldnt have been any problems.
Muth said his agency was asked to help the family work through their problems, not remove the boy.
We have an obligation under the law to keep families together, and we do that when its at all possible.
Whatever trouble Stephen might have been causing, the response he got back can never bee seen as appropriate, Muth said.
This kids in renal failure, cant move his arms and his dad doesnt have a mark on him.
His mother is dead, so he needs some good folks to pray for him. Please pray for - Stephen Polen - to recover from this beating.
Will the people on FreeRepublic who rallied behind the Gentle Giant, Thomas Junta, defend this big man ?
I hope you realize the difference!
You do it for your Childs sake, this is not an act of love, but sheer senseless brutality.
Tony
No, it's not even remotely similar. This father ought to get life in prison for attempted murder and the grandfather's a creep.
I don't know, but I like your idea of: "worst possible sentence."
Well it looks like the Thomas Junta defense team has a new case ...
It is not possible, even for the fans of the Gentle Giant, to defend the father in this story.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.