A Middletown man faces four counts of Child Abuse today, allegedly abusing children for multiple years in Montgomery County.

Eric E. Peterson was charged after the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office received reports from a juvenile that Peterson had abused them and two other juveniles for several years.

During a forensic interview with all three juvenile victims, they each told deputies that the physical abuse included being punched, slapped, strangled and items thrown at them.

According to the probable cause statement, the abuse occurred at a residence that was covered in black mold, dog feces and urine, and trash.

The reporting victim claimed to have gotten sick multiple times due to the unsanitary living conditions.

During a later check of the residence, deputies confirmed that all of the conditions listed by the juvenile victims were accurate and that part of the roof had fallen in at the home, while the rest was caving in, and that the door to the home did not have any handle or latch and was left open.

Peterson was interviewed and denied any of the allegations. However, deputies noted a strong odor of alcohol emitting from the suspect during the interview and that he admitted to having been drinking.

He is currently in the Montgomery County Jail on a no bond warrant