A criminal complaint says 44-year-old Mona Alane Hauer., and her 44-year-old husband Russell Hauer deprived the boy of food, made him sleep in a plastic sled inside basement room with an alarm on it, and hit him with a broom handle when he misbehaved.Both Mona and Russell Hauer arecharged with six felony counts, ranging from neglect or endangerment of a child to malicious punishment of a child.If convicted the couplefaces the potential of five years in prison on each criminal count.
Mona Hauer and Russell Hauer of North Mankato each are charged with six felonies, including neglect and malicious punishment of a child. In addition to starving the boy, authorities said, they beat him with a broom handle and made him sleep in a sled in the basement because he wet the bed.Russell Hauer told medical staff that he and his wife withheld food from the boy at least once as a form of punishment, the complaint said. He also told officials the boy "had won or gotten his way" when he was taken to the hospital.