Parents Charged After Child Found With Extensive Bruising

In Burnsville, Minnesota, a couple is currently facing legal repercussions after their child was found with "extensive bruising" following a welfare check conducted on June 4, 2026. Law enforcement initiated the check after receiving photos depicting severe bruising across the child's body.

The child, who was under three years old at the time, exhibited stitches on his forehead and widespread bruising on his torso, limbs, and face. A pediatrician's examination confirmed the injuries were consistent with abuse. The parents, a 27-year-old woman and a 27-year-old man, have been charged. The woman faces counts of child torture, assault, and harassment, while the man is charged with child endangerment.

During police interviews, both parents reportedly denied intentionally harming the child, though they admitted to spanking. However, examination of the parents' phones revealed alarming text messages. Evidence suggests the mother detailed numerous instances of shaking, punching, and hitting the child, primarily during the first two years of the child's life.

One text exchange from June 20, 2025, shows the father expressing concern about the child's well-being, to which the mother responded with a video of herself hitting the child. Another video, sent on July 9, 2025, depicted the mother slapping the crying child. The father's texts during these exchanges ranged from threats to call police to occasional indifference. The child has since been removed from the parents' custody and is in protective care.