Father Sent To Prison For Child Abuse 11-Year-Old Adopted Boy Beaten As Matter Of Routine
John O. Hamberg will spend nine years in prison for what Pend Oreille County authorities said was one of the worst cases of child abuse they’ve seen.
Officials said Hamberg routinely beat his 11-year-old adopted son and tied him up at night so often the boy lost use of his left hand.
Hamberg, 37, used an ordinary sewing needle to stitch up a 2- to 2-1/2-inch gash in the boy’s forehead after slamming his head into a concrete floor, authorities said.
Sheriff’s Deputy Thad Schultz testified Thursday that the boy has jumped two clothing sizes and his condition has improved greatly since he has been in a foster home. With physical therapy, he has regained much of the use of his hand.
Deputy Prosecutor Tony Koures said the boy wakes up with nightmares and breaks things in the night, and sometimes has trouble getting along with other children because of the abuse.
“It wasn’t over when the deputies rescued him,” Koures said. “It was a psychological impact. It’s going to be a long time before he gets over it.”
Hamberg was on the verge of crying Thursday when he stood before Superior Court Judge Larry Kristianson and said he was sorry. Hamberg didn’t elaborate in his brief statement, Koures said.
Hamberg pleaded guilty a month ago to first-degree child assault. He said in a written statement that, from Feb. 1 through April 1, he tied his son’s wrists together at night and bound them to a bedpost with tape and rope.
Assistant Public Defender Tim Trageser said Hamberg was trying to restrain the boy from inappropriate behavior rather than punish him.
Trageser asked Kristianson to impose the minimum standard sentence of 7-3/4 years, while Koures urged the judge to stay near the 10-1/4-year high end of the range. Kristianson split the difference.
Hamberg will get credit for seven months he has already served in the county jail.
His wife, Cindy, 31, pleaded guilty to third-degree child assault in May. She admitted tying up their son once and asking her husband to do so on several other occasions.
She was sentenced to 45 days in jail and was ordered to continue mental health treatment. Doctors said she suffered from “major depression” and a personality disorder.
, DataTimes