A 28-year-old man in Indiana has been charged with 20 felony counts after allegedly abusing four children in his home. Authorities say the shocking case involved physical ab*se, starvation, and animal cruelty.
Allegations of Ab*se and Confinement
WXIN reports that the investigation into Joshua Chasteen began on January 2, 2026, after four children disclosed alleged ab*se and molestation. Court documents claim Chasteen locked the children, all under 12 years old, in a basement and sometimes fed them only crumbs. One child reportedly passed out from extreme hunger.
Chasteen allegedly threatened the children, warning them not to disclose the ab*se or he would kill them. They were reportedly instructed to lie about their injuries, and one child was allegedly forced to buy concealer to hide bruises and whip marks on the younger children.
Animal Cruelty and Molestation Allegations
During police interviews, one child was reportedly crying so hard it was difficult to understand them. The child said Chasteen beat a pet dog that tried to intervene.
Court documents allege that he snapped the neck of a kitten in front of the children and forced another cat to eat rat poison while making the children watch. The victims also alleged that Chasteen molested them and threatened to kill them if they told anyone.
Family and Response
Chasteen’s wife, whose name has not been released, reportedly worked over 110 hours a week and was too exhausted to investigate the claims. Chasteen allegedly told her the children were exaggerating.
The mother of one victim contacted child services, but by then, Chasteen had moved to Florida to live with his mother. He reportedly denied the allegations but allegedly told authorities, “If I am going to go to jail for no reason, I am going to make sure it is for a reason,” and threatened one of the victim’s mothers.
Arrest and Charges
Joshua Chasteen was arrested and booked into jail on April 17, 2026. He faces multiple felony charges, including domestic battery causing serious injury, child molesting, criminal confinement, domestic battery, strangulation, and torturing or mutilating an animal. WXIN reports that his first hearing is scheduled for May 20.
The case has sparked outrage and drawn attention to child safety and animal protection laws, highlighting the importance of timely intervention in cases of ab*se.
