12-year-old boy was restrained with shackles, K9 shock collar before death, sheriff says

MONROE COUNTY, Ind. (WXIN) -- A 12-year-old boy was restrained in a motel bathtub with shackles and a dog collar before he died, the Monroe County Sheriff's Office reports. Now the boy's father and his stepmother face charges in connection with his death.

Eduardo Posso was taken to Bloomington Hospital for treatment last week. He later passed away. Hospital officials say he showed multiple signs of abuse and starvation. The boy was severely emaciated and weighed only 50 to 55 pounds, according to Coroner Joni Shields. The cause and manner of death are pending, Shields said.

Monroe County Sheriff Brad Swain said this case was “beyond anything” he'd ever seen in child homicides and other cases.

Monroe County detectives arrested his father, 32-year-old Luis Posso, and his stepmother, 25-year-old Dayan Median Flores, in connection with his death. They face neglect charges, and they're being held in the Monroe County Correctional Center.

Their three other children, a 9-year-old girl, a 5-year-old boy, and a 2-year-old boy, were placed in the care of Child Protection Services. Officials say they appeared to be healthy.

Monroe County detectives say the family was staying in a motel in the area temporarily for their employment. Their job was to distribute advertising for a circus, which tours around the United States.

When detectives searched their motel room, they found a box containing restraints and a K9 shock collar.

Police examined the couple's phones and found video of Eduardo retrained in a bathtub. The video shows other children and Flores coming and going in the bathroom and paying no attention to the boy. Posso even took a selfie in the bathroom with his son restrained in the background, police said.