State Police: Mother and grandfather withheld food from children

Posted: Apr 26, 2014 2:34 PM EDT

SAND LAKE — A mother and grandfather have been arrested on felony assault and other child endangerment charges after an investigation of child abuse, the New York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation at Schodack announced Saturday.

Dana M. Glasser, 33, and Joseph J. Glasser, 61, both of Sand Lake, were arrested after an 8 count indictment against them was handed up Friday by a Rensselaer County Grand Jury.

The charges came about after an investigation by the State Police and Child Protective Services (CPS) of Rensselaer County into a February report of child abuse. Authorities discovered the pair caused serious physical injury that created a grave risk of death by withholding food over a period of time from two of four children residing at their home, State Police Maj. Steven James said in a news release. The victims, both 5-year-old boys, were found by authorities to be emaciated. They are now being cared for by another family member and are being monitored by CPS. The two other children, both girls, were unharmed and are also being monitored by CPS.

The subjects charged are the children's mother and grandfather, authorities said.

Both subjects were arraigned before Rensselaer County Court Judge Deborah Young and taken to Rensselaer County Jail in lieu of $25,000 cash bail.