Sumner County parents accused of forcing young girl to eat feces, biting her toes

By Daniel Smithson

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    GALLATIN, Tennessee (WSMV) — A pair of Sumner County parents have been indicted on child abuse charges after investigators say they forced their child to eat human feces.

A 10-count criminal indictment alleges Norbert D’Souza and Anette Rodrigues abused a young girl between May 23, 2021, and October 2022, according to court documents. D’Souza and Rodrigues are accused of forcing the child to eat “human excrement,” according to the Oct. 5 indictment, causing the child to become ill.

D’Souza is accused separately of committing child abuse by hitting a child with a belt in an act that was “especially heinous, atrocious and cruel, or involved the infliction of torture” according to his indictment. Rodrigues allegedly injured the child by biting her fingers and toes and scratching her.

Both parents are accused of failing to protect their child and child cruelty.

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