Two Florida adults have been arrested after allegedly forcing a girl to drink hot sauce as part of a “bizarre” punishment, police say.
Ashley Eldredge, 37, allegedly made the unnamed girl drink the spicy condiment, despite the her having an allergy.
Investigators became aware of the claims of abuse last week, according to an affidavit from the Cocoa Police Department, which was seen by ClickOrlando.
In the affidavit, the youngster told authorities that Robert Eldredge, 38, would “whoop” her with objects, including a belt and a spoon.
“As to why she was disciplined, she stated that it was because she put ‘ink on the cat’ and that it was only part of an experiment,” the affidavit reads. “As to how many times [REDACTED] struck her, the victim stated ‘15′ times by his hand.”
The meaning of “ink on the cat” remains unknown.
The girl also claimed that she was forced to ingest the hot sauce whenever she was accused of lying, according to documents.
“The victim stated that the hot sauce made her stomach hurt and causes her to vomit,” the affidavit continued. “The victim stated that this had occurred approximately ‘10′ times, and she has thrown up about ‘50 percent’ of the time.”
When police questioned Robert Eldredge about the bruises, he claimed that the girl engaged in acts of self-harm, the documents read in part.
However, he did tell authorities that any bruises caused by a belt were inflicted by him.
“According to Robert Eldredge, he had used the belt on the victim as punishment because she ‘wrote the same 14 sentences’ and that he ‘whooped her ass,’” the affidavit added.
The meaning of “wrote the same 14 sentences” also remains unknown.
Both Ashley and Robert Eldredge have been booked into the Brevard County Jail, according to the facility’s inmate records. The former’s bond has been set at $5,000, while the latter’s at $50,000.
The pair has been charged with child abuse without great bodily harm – simple assault, according to the records. Their next court date is set for April 7.
The Independent has contacted the Cocoa Police Department for comment.
