ABINGDON, Md. - They had suffered in silence, but when a pair of young boys came to the Sports Clips hair salon in Abingdon, a stylist became alarmed at what she found---evidence one of the child’s hair had been burned.
At least three siblings later admitted they, too, had been repeatedly burned by a makeshift torch at the hands of their father, 44-year-old Steven Kenneth Helgason of Whiteford. It’s alleged he used cans of aerosol deodorant and a lighter to scorch his children, by one account, as many as a hundred times.
Harford County State’s Attorney Joseph Cassilly says investigators are still trying to ascertain why.
"It's very strange. It's not clear, but it does not appear this was an issue of discipline or excess discipline or anything like that,†said Cassilly, “These allegations are very unusual, and that's one of the main reasons we asked for no bond."
In addition to the alleged burnings, one of Helgason’s eight children also claimed he once hung him upside down in his room and stripped him naked.
Helgason has a story of prior child abuse incidents and domestic violence charges, which prompted his wife to seek a divorce, yet seven of their children remained in his custody.
"Any child abuse case is troubling, but given the number of children that were involved here, this is certainly something that's very upsetting, because hopefully the mother will get re-engaged in some of this,†said Cassilly, “They were separated so what knowledge she had isn't clear and I don't think we've finished our investigation to that point yet."
According to charging documents, some of the children say their eldest brother also burned them when he was instructed to do so by their father.
The children have been placed in protective custody by Social Services, and their father remains in the Harford County Detention Center with no bond.
At least three siblings later admitted they, too, had been repeatedly burned by a makeshift torch at the hands of their father, 44-year-old Steven Kenneth Helgason of Whiteford. It’s alleged he used cans of aerosol deodorant and a lighter to scorch his children, by one account, as many as a hundred times.
Harford County State’s Attorney Joseph Cassilly says investigators are still trying to ascertain why.
"It's very strange. It's not clear, but it does not appear this was an issue of discipline or excess discipline or anything like that,†said Cassilly, “These allegations are very unusual, and that's one of the main reasons we asked for no bond."
In addition to the alleged burnings, one of Helgason’s eight children also claimed he once hung him upside down in his room and stripped him naked.
Helgason has a story of prior child abuse incidents and domestic violence charges, which prompted his wife to seek a divorce, yet seven of their children remained in his custody.
"Any child abuse case is troubling, but given the number of children that were involved here, this is certainly something that's very upsetting, because hopefully the mother will get re-engaged in some of this,†said Cassilly, “They were separated so what knowledge she had isn't clear and I don't think we've finished our investigation to that point yet."
According to charging documents, some of the children say their eldest brother also burned them when he was instructed to do so by their father.
The children have been placed in protective custody by Social Services, and their father remains in the Harford County Detention Center with no bond.