A Pittsburgh paramedic is on leave and facing criminal charges for giving his teenage son steroids last spring.
RELATED COVERAGE >>> Pittsburgh medic facing criminal charges in Ohio on leave; accused of giving teenage son steroids
Court documents filed in Columbiana County, Ohio, accuse Michael Bess, 43, of injecting his 16-year-old son with steroid shots. Bess is charged with child endangerment, a misdemeanor.
Last April, Bess was working part-time as a weightlifting coach for his son’s high school football team in Wellsville, Ohio. His son had suffered a shoulder injury and was trying to rehabilitate it.
“We were just talking about how we’re gonna fix it, and he brought up steroids,” the teenager told 11 Investigates in the fall.
The affidavit shows the injections came to light because another trainer, a man who died last year, told the teenager’s mom what was happening and that Bess had been injecting the victim with performance-enhancing hormones with a hypodermic needle.
The affidavit said that after the teenager was asked, he confirmed it was true and that it had been going on for about six weeks.
Bess’ son is a childhood cancer survivor, and his family said doctors were concerned the injections could cause him further harm. His medical records, provided to and reviewed by 11 Investigates, showed doctors monitored him and treated him last year for “medical neglect of child by caregiver,” “drug-induced headache,” and “poisoning by anabolic steroid.”
An investigation by Ohio Job and Family Services substantiated allegations of child abuse.
A spokesperson confirmed to 11 Investigates that Pittsburgh EMS command staff placed Bess on administrative leave, and the city is not at liberty to discuss disciplinary matters further.
Bess was arraigned on Monday. He pleaded not guilty and made bond.
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