Abusive Father Buried Daughter Alive in Backyard, Police Say

A Pennsylvania man is in custody accused of abusing his 6-year-old daughter and burying her alive, police say.

A criminal complaint filed against John Edward Kraft, 50, of Waynesburg, said social workers in Greene County had found severe bruising on the child's face and body.

A police report, obtained by Newsweek, said the 6-year-old had told police that Kraft beat her and buried her alive in a hole in the yard, leaving her there overnight.

The girl said her father "struck her with his hands, a belt, and his arm, which has a metal implant from a surgery," police wrote in the report.

She also told of an incident where he had "choked her to the point of unconsciousness and hit her head off of the floor and walls."

She said he would "bury her in the yard as a form of punishment." The girl said Kraft would leave her in the yard "until she told the truth and that she would come out of the ground dirty and smelling like sewage."

Pictures provided to police showed the girl had severe bruising on her face, arms and buttocks, the report said.

Kraft is charged with multiple counts of aggravated assault, simple assault, strangulation, endangering the welfare of children, reckless endangerment, false imprisonment of a minor and unlawful restraint of a minor.

Kraft was booked into Greene County jail on Thursday and his bond has been set at $125,000, according to online records.

The 6-year-old girl and her sibling have been placed in foster care, according to KDKA.

Greene County District Attorney David Russo told Newsweek: "I would like to commend the Pennsylvania State Police on their swift and diligent efforts in their investigation and bringing this case to my immediate attention."

He added: "The allegations against the defendant are barbaric and horrific and the first-degree felony charges are appropriate.

"I will do everything in my power to protect the children of our community. No child deserves to be treated this way and my office will concentrate our efforts in bring justice for this child. My office has always taken a strong stance on crimes against children. We will not tolerate child abuse in our county and this case will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

In North Carolina, a woman has been accused of abusing her 5-year-old stepson for many months. Bracey Renee Byrd allegedly burned and attempted to castrate the boy, according to police.

Concerns were first raised in July, when the 5-year-old was brought to the Wilson Medical Center Emergency Department with third-degree burns and other injuries. Doctors found older bruises among his wounds and contacted social services.

Earlier this month, Byrd was charged with attempted murder, felony child abuse inflicting serious bodily injury, malicious castration, first-degree kidnapping and three counts of felony child abuse with physical injury.

Update 10/26/22, 11:25 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with comments from Greene County District Attorney David Russo.

Update 10/27/22, 7:15 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with information from Pennsylvania State Police.