Haunting video shows dad in court after locking son up in 8ft box with bucket for toilet
Tim Ferriter has been convicted of aggravated child abuse for confining his adopted son to an 8x8ft box. He faces up to 42 years in prison.
A Florida father risks being handed a 42 year prison sentence after being convicted of aggravated child abuse, false imprisonment, and child neglet for keeping his adopted son prisoner in a tiny room with a bucket for a toilet.
Tim Ferriter, 48, kept the boy in an 8x8ft room in their garage at their home in West Palm Beach, Florida.
The court found Ferriter guilty on all charges after hearing the harrowing details of his son's living conditions, including being locked in a windowless room for extended periods of time.
The victim is being identified only as "RF" to maintain his privacy. He testified during the trial and described his confinement as "dehumanising," even comparing it to "genocide".
RF was locked in a confined space for up to 18 hours a day, enduring horrific living conditions with no control over the lights or air conditioning in the windowless room. He had nothing more than a mattress on the floor.
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Ferriter even documented the abuse he inflicted on his son. The footage from a Ring camera revealed him screaming at and berating his son for reasons such as attracting rats if he didn't finish all his food.
The food in question was merely leftovers he was given to eat in isolation once the rest of the family had finished their meals.
The neglect and abuse got to the point where his son had to use a bucket as a toilet inside the 8x8 room.
The defense argued the boy's severe behavioral issues caused his dad to act this way, arguing that his actions were poor parenting choices, not intentional abuse.
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But the recordings and RF's testimony showed a pattern of abuse. Ferriter would slam his son into a wall by his neck and hit him in the face.
Ferriter chose not to testify in his own defense as he claimed he was only ever making attempts to manage his son's behavioural issues, not deliberately harming him.
He shook uncontrollably during a hearing where his plea to be released from jail prior to sentencing was denied, and was remanded to the custody of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s department once convicted.
Ferriter's wife, Tracy Ferriter faces a separate trial that is yet to commence.
