Correction: This article previously stated the 12-year-old died last Thursday. It has since been changed to the accurate day of Friday, May 24. RTV6 regrets this error.
Watch the press conference with Monroe County Sheriff's Office below.
MONROE COUNTY — A couple was arrested in Monroe County after a 12-year-old boy who died last Friday appeared to have suffered from extreme neglect.
According to a press release from the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, an examination of Eduardo Posso after his death found "multiple signs of abuse and starvation."
Detectives say the family was in Monroe County area for employment, which includes distributing advertising for a circus which tours around the United States.
The boy's father, Luis Posso, 32, and his wife, Dayan Medina Flores, 25, were both arrested. Three other children, ages 9, 5 and 2, were placed in the care of Child Protective Services. They appear to be healthy, according to the sheriff's office.
Detectives searched the motel room where the family was staying and located a box containing restraints and a K9 shock collar. During their investigation, detectives also found video of the 12-year-old restrained in a bathtub and a selfie of Luis and Eduardo that shows the child under restraints.
The Monroe County Sheriff's Office said during a Tuesday afternoon press conference that Eduardo likely died from starvation but he was also the victim of abuse including being restrained with chains and the use of the shock collar.
Monroe County coroner, Joani Shields, says the boy was “severely emaciated, weighing approximately 50 to 55 pounds.”
She also described his injuries: “... soft tissue abuse. There were no internal injuries found. No broken bones, it was all bruises,” all over his body.
Monroe County Sheriff Brad Swain says this is one of the most horrific abuse cases he’s seen.
"Before I became sheriff I worked for 20 years pretty much exclusively with child abuse cases, and I've worked some pretty horrendous ones, but this is beyond anything that I worked."
The sheriff's office says the investigation will likely include multiple jurisdictions over a long period of time, because of the couple's employment.
