Father Faces Jail After Neglecting Son’s Dental Health

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A father from Pennsylvania has admitted to “procrastinating” when it came to getting his son dental treatment and could now face a jail sentence.

Francisco Torres pleaded guilty to a charge of reckless endangerment after his 14 year old son tried to pull his own tooth out using a pair of pliers. The teenage boy had complained of tooth pain for several months but his father did not take him to see a dentist. Eventually, he tried to treat himself and broke two teeth while trying to pull a tooth out. He needed urgent dental surgery to remove fragments of tooth from the gums.

Mr Torres’ lawyer has requested that a psychological review be carried out before his client is sentenced in December. According to records, Torres receives social security benefits for a mental health disorder.

Court records show that the teenage boy suffered such great pain that he felt he had no choice but to try and remove the affected tooth. He had asked to see a dentist but his father would not take him, even though he described the pain and had a bleeding mouth. Eventually the county took custody of the boy.

The charge carries a maximum custodial sentence of two years, but Torres’ criminal record could affect his sentence. When questioned about the incident, Torres said that he could not take his son to a doctor because of problems with his insurance; however, police found out that he had a valid insurance card. He later admitted that he had not acted quickly enough.

 

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