Purrde Flower
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- Jul 18, 2002
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SWEENY, Texas (AP) -- A man's four children and stepchildren were taken away from him after he used an electric stun gun to discipline one of them, his 8-year-old stepson, for missing the school bus.
Theodore Moody, 27, was not arrested, but District Attorney Jeri Yenne held out the possibility of charges of causing injury to a child.
"I actually zapped myself because I wanted to know what it felt like," Yenne said. "It's not a pleasant experience. It does give you a pretty good jolt, certainly not appropriate for a child."
Officials from the boy's school called police Monday, and the youngster told officers his stepfather used the battery-powered stun gun on him.
Moody's two children and two stepchildren were placed in a foster home. A court hearing was set for next week to determine whether the children should be returned to Moody and his wife.
Moody said his use of the stun gun wasn't abuse.
"The instructions say that it cannot cause permanent damage. My definition of abuse is some kind of permanent damage, whether it be physical or mental," Moody said.
Moody said he traded a pack of cigarettes for the device, which delivers a 300,000-volt jolt. Moody said he tested the stun gun on himself, his wife and a neighbor before using it on his stepson.
Sweeny is about 50 miles south of Houston.
Theodore Moody, 27, was not arrested, but District Attorney Jeri Yenne held out the possibility of charges of causing injury to a child.
"I actually zapped myself because I wanted to know what it felt like," Yenne said. "It's not a pleasant experience. It does give you a pretty good jolt, certainly not appropriate for a child."
Officials from the boy's school called police Monday, and the youngster told officers his stepfather used the battery-powered stun gun on him.
Moody's two children and two stepchildren were placed in a foster home. A court hearing was set for next week to determine whether the children should be returned to Moody and his wife.
Moody said his use of the stun gun wasn't abuse.
"The instructions say that it cannot cause permanent damage. My definition of abuse is some kind of permanent damage, whether it be physical or mental," Moody said.
Moody said he traded a pack of cigarettes for the device, which delivers a 300,000-volt jolt. Moody said he tested the stun gun on himself, his wife and a neighbor before using it on his stepson.
Sweeny is about 50 miles south of Houston.
