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SALT LAKE CITY — A man who police say made an 11-year-old boy stand in a corner whenever he was home and beat him if he moved has been sentenced to jail.
Anthony Berardi, 28, of Kearns, was charged in January in 3rd District Court with 10 counts of child abuse, all class A misdemeanors. In May, he pleaded guilty to three of those counts in exchange for the others being dismissed.
On Friday, Berardi was sentenced to six months in the Salt Lake County Jail, followed by 36 months of probation. Some of the conditions of his probation include counseling, drug and alcohol treatment, "no Spice, Ivory Wave or items of that nature," and undergoing a domestic violence evaluation.
According to charging documents, between October and November of last year, Berardi made the boy "stand in the corner" and only allowed him to move if he had to go to the bathroom, eat dinner or go to bed. Otherwise, if the boy moved outside of those activities, Berardi would hit him with a belt or punch him in the head, the charges state.
The boy told investigators that one night he was hit 51 times with a belt, according to court documents, and that he was hit every night from October 2014 to Nov. 14, 2014.
Amanda Ramirez, 29, the boy's mother, watched the beatings but did not stop them, according to court documents. She pleaded guilty in March to two counts of child abuse, a class A misdemeanor. She was sentenced in April to 90 days in jail.
- The Utah Department of Human Services has a statewide, 24-hour hotline for victims of domestic violence at 1-800-897-LINK (5465) and a child abuse and neglect hotline at 1-800-323-DCFS (3237).
- The Division of Child and Family Services offers counseling, teaches parenting skills and conflict resolution and can connect the family with community resources. Their goal is to keep children with their family when it is "possible and safe," according to their website. Visitdcfs.utah.gov/questions/or call 801-538-4100.
- The Christmas Box House acts as a temporary shelter for children and can provide them with new clothing and shoes, among other services. Call the Salt Lake office at 801-747-2201 or the Ogden office at 801-866-0350.
