Glendale man accused of tying up stepson with ropes, assaulting him

PHOENIX — A 37-year-old Glendale man was arrested after being accused of tying up his 14-year-old stepson with ropes and physically assaulting him, authorities said Wednesday.

Mto Assa was charged with child abuse, aggravated assault and unlawful imprisonment after he allegedly restrained the teenage boy by binding his hands and feet with ropes and then assaulting him, causing visible injuries, Glendale police said in a press release.

The incident occurred Tuesday just before 10:30 p.m. near 43rd and Glendale avenues, police said.

The boy was able to escape and flee to a neighbor’s apartment to ask for help after his younger sister freed one of his feet, according to authorities.

His hands and feet were still bound with the ropes when the boy went to the neighbor’s apartment, where he told the neighbor that his stepfather had tied his hands behind his back and bound his ankles before connecting the ropes together, according to authorities.

The neighbor told authorities they cut the ropes from the boy’s wrists while waiting for officers.

The boy’s mother had filed a police report on the teen as a runaway earlier in the day. The teen returned home and said his stepfather told him during the assault that he would keep the boy tied up for the next year, according to authorities.

Assa admitted to authorities that he tied up the boy, but denied any assault occurred, according to authorities.

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