Arizona Dad Faces Negligent Homicide After Boy, 9, Was Found Dead & Decomposing on Couch
PHOTO: PIMA COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT
An Arizona man has been arrested after authorities discovered his son’s decomposing body on the couch in their home. Joseph Gregory Antonsen, 38, was taken into custody following the grim discovery of his 9-year-old son’s body at their residence in the Picture Rocks area on Sunday, July 14, according to reports from the Arizona Republic citing a police news release.
Antonsen is being held on a $500,000 bond and faces charges of child abuse and negligent homicide, according to online jail records. It is not immediately clear if he has entered pleas to the charges or retained an attorney.
Authorities were conducting a welfare check at the property when they found Antonsen’s son lifeless on the couch. The boy’s body “was in the process of decomposition,” as reported by the Arizona Republic, citing the police news release.
Court documents, as cited by the Arizona Republic, allege that Antonsen told officers his son had been unwell two days prior to the discovery. He claimed he wanted to take the child to the doctor, but the boy started “shuttering and going limp.”
Antonsen allegedly turned on his car to take his son to the doctor, but upon returning home, he realized the boy was not breathing and had no pulse. Despite this, Antonsen reportedly left the home for a period, knowing he should have called for help, the documents allege.
The property was reportedly in deplorable condition, filled with garbage, empty beer cans, large piles of soiled diapers, rotten food, bottles filled with urine, and significant insect activity, including black widow and brown recluse spiders, according to KOLD.
Neighbors provided additional context to the tragic situation. One neighbor, whose daughter used to play with the boy, told AZ Family that she hadn’t seen the child for about a month. “His son was really cute. He was a really friendly kid,” she said. “He was very polite. He was a lot friendlier than his dad.”
Another neighbor mentioned that she thought the house had been abandoned, highlighting the neglect and isolation surrounding the residence.
The case has shocked the community, raising questions about the circumstances leading to the boy’s death and the conditions in which he lived. As the investigation continues, authorities are working to piece together the events that led to this heartbreaking outcome.
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
