CANONSBURG, Pa. — The Canonsburg man who allegedly chained his girlfriend’s 11-year-old son to the dinner table after the boy refused to eat the food on his plate was in court Tuesday.
Police said they arrested Joshua Lee Smith, 38, after reports of a child screaming for help in the home on May 20.
Smith allegedly told the boy to finish eating his dinner and when he didn't, Smith made him get dog chains out of the yard.
The boy told police that he became sick during dinner, but wasn’t allowed to leave the table until the food was eaten.
Smith also allegedly nailed the chains to the stairs and gave the boy a bucket in which to relieve himself.
Police said the chain was secured to the boy’s leg with a wire wrapped around a sock to avoid signs of abuse. Despite the sock, authorities said the boy’s leg was red and cut.
Wire cutters were used by officers to free the boy.
Channel 11’s Cara Sapida reported that during the preliminary hearing the judge said Smith is a danger to the child, public and himself.
Judge Jay Weller said the boy was nervous and intimidated by the possibility of having to testify in court. The boy didn’t have to testify Tuesday, but Weller said he explained to process to the boy and assured him that no one would be mad at him or threaten him.
Smith will undergo a mental health evaluation.
He is being held in the Washington County Jail on $25,000 bond, charged with child endangerment, simple assault, harassment and false imprisonment. If Smith posts bond, he is not allowed to have contact with the boy.
Weller said Smith is also accused of choking his girlfriend’s daughter in April, threatening to kill his ex-wife, disorderly conduct at the Meadows Casino and robbing a Walmart.
“He really hasn't been on criminal justice radar until the last couple months, and now all kinds of things -- anger management, just unreasonable activity,” said Weller.