Father of Boy Who Ripped Out Teeth Gets Prison Time

The judge said he wished he could send Francisco Torres to prison for longer

An Easton man has been sentenced to one to two years in prison after his teenage son pulled out two of his own teeth because he hadn't been taken to a dentist.

Northampton County Judge Michael Koury Jr. said that he only wished he could sentence 41-year-old Francisco Torres to more prison time.

The judge said "Neglecting one's child is the ultimate betrayal.''
 
Torres pleaded guilty in October to recklessly endangering another person. He apologized in court.
 
Investigators say the pain became so unbearable for the boy that he pulled two teeth from his mouth using a pair of pliers. That caused even more pain and continuous bleeding and the teen had to have emergency surgery.
 
"I'm not a bad father," Torres told NBC10 back in April after his arrest. "They try to make me look like I'm a monster."
 
Torres attorney, Timothy Prendergast, said his client has only borderline functionality, and "at some level ... he lacked the sense to act in an appropriate manner.''

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