A US couple are facing several charges, including child abuse and first-degree murder for killing their 11-year-old son by coercing him to drink several large quantities of water.

The parents, 41-year-old Ryan Sabin and 42-year-old Tara Sabin both turned themselves in to authorities June 16th and are being held without bail at the El Paso County jail, reported the Colorado Springs Gazette.

Prosecutors say Zachary Sabin died in Black Forest on March 11th after the couple made him drink the water because his urine was dark. The county coroner’s office determined the boy died of forced water intoxication after he was told to drink four 24-ounce (.7-litre) bottles of water over four hours without eating.

He also had bruises on his head, arms, shin and buttocks and a red contusion to his left eye. At the time of his death, the boy was wearing a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles pajama top and a urine-soaked diaper.

According to an arrest affidavit, Tara Sabin, the boy’s stepmother, told authorities he wore a diaper at night because of a hereditary urological problem. Ryan Sabin, Zachary’s father (a sergeant based at Fort Carson) called 911 after he found the boy in his bed with foam coming from his mouth and blood on his bed.

The couple will make their first appearance in court on June 23.

Source: izzso