A 40-year-old Enfield man has been arrested after investigators said he restrained his 5-year-old stepson in a way that restricted the boy’s breathing and left him with injuries that were later noticed at school.
Matthew Wezniak and Jessica Abelin, both of Enfield, were arrested Sept. 8 following an investigation that began in June after the child arrived at Enfield Street School with visible marks on his face. Police said the case does not present a broader threat to the public.
The investigation began June 1, when Enfield police detectives went to Enfield Street School with Connecticut Department of Children and Families personnel after DCF received a report of suspected abuse involving the child.
A school staff member noticed small pinpoint spots on the boy’s face and neck that appeared consistent with petechiae, a type of bleeding beneath the skin. The child told the staff member that the marks occurred when Wezniak was sitting on him and that he could not breathe.
The child also told the staff member that he kicked Wezniak to get him off and said he was unable to speak during the incident.
Investigators later interviewed Wezniak, who described the incident differently. According to the warrant, he said he and the child had been wrestling and demonstrated what investigators described as a bear hug, with his arms around the child’s torso from behind. Wezniak said the child did not complain that he could not breathe and that his breathing had not been restricted.
The child was taken to Connecticut Children’s Medical Center for evaluation after the marks were discovered at school.
Medical personnel found significant petechiae on both sides of the child’s face extending down his neck, along with a hemorrhage in his left eye and additional petechiae near his collarbone, according to the warrant.
The medical findings raised concerns about possible blunt-force trauma, compression of the chest or neck, or suffocation. Authorities said those types of injuries can place children at risk of serious injury or death.
DCF later substantiated physical abuse by Wezniak, concluding that excessive force had been used while he and the child were wrestling, according to the warrant.
Wezniak faces charges of second-degree strangulation or suffocation, first-degree unlawful restraint, first-degree reckless endangerment and risk of injury to a child. His bond was set at $250,000.
Abelin was also arrested in connection with the investigation. Police allege that she knew the child had been injured but failed to protect him during the incident or obtain medical attention afterward. She was charged with risk of injury to a child and given a $150,000 bond.
Both defendants were presented in Hartford Superior Court on Sept. 8. The arrests were made pursuant to warrants issued in connection with the investigation.
Enfield Public Schools Superintendent Steven A. Moccio said the district considers student safety and well-being a top priority. He also noted that Connecticut law requires school employees who suspect abuse, neglect or a risk of serious harm to report those concerns to DCF.
The school’s response played an important role in bringing the concerns to the attention of authorities. Enfield Street School is a K-2 school in the Enfield Public Schools system and lists safety, kindness, respect and responsibility among its core values.
The investigation and criminal proceedings remain ongoing. The allegations against Wezniak and Abelin have not been proven in court, and both defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty.
Authorities have said there is no generalized threat to the public related to the case.
