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(NewsNation) — An Arizona boy who was left unattended and decomposing on a couch by his suspected father “never had a chance,” says Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos.
Sheriff Nanos joined NewsNation’s “Banfield” to discuss the neglect case.
Father arrested after son discovered in ‘sitting position’
Earlier this month, the 9-year-old child’s father, Joseph Gregory Antonsen, 38, was arrested after his son was found “in a sitting position” on the couch.
Deputies reported that Antonsen claimed his son became ill on July 12 and that he was going to get him help, but he never did.
Antonsen is charged with two felony counts of child abuse and one felony count of negligent homicide.
Arizona boy’s body found decomposing on couch
Decomposing remains of the 9-year-old boy were discovered on July 14 in the family’s home in the Picture Rocks area. Authorities were reportedly conducting a welfare check at the home when they found the child’s body upright on the couch.
According to court documents, garbage, soiled diapers, bottles of urine and spiders filled the house. The home also had “no running water or working toilets,” multiple reports state.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department said it was apparent the boy had been dead inside the home “for an extended period of time.”
The child has not been identified by the sheriff’s department.
Pima County Sheriff: Search for boy’s records didn’t yield much
Nanos told NewsNation’s “Banfield” his department has yet to find “one public record of this child in existence anywhere.
“The last time we have content of anything is (a) medical record that shows he got inoculated when he was 2 years old. We have no school records. It’s really sad,” Nanos said.
The sheriff’s department did not disclose how the child died and investigations remain ongoing.