Ft. Bliss couple indicted on child abuse charges
Update: A 1st Armored Division spokesperson provided ABC-7 with the following statement.
"Sgt. Coreydon Stepaniak is a wheeled vehicle mechanic assigned to the 1st Armored Division. He joined the Army April 5, 2011. He’s been assigned to Fort Bliss since 2018. His awards include the Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. His military education includes Basic leaders Course, Wheeled Vehicle Recovery Specialist and Combatives Level 1. The 1st Armored Division is cooperating with the appropriate authorities as they conduct their investigation."
MAJ Jessica Rovero
Director of Public Affairs
1st Armored Division
FORT BLISS, Texas (KVIA) -- A federal grand jury just indicted an couple living on Ft. Bliss on child abuse charges.
Court documents state that from April 2019 to February 2024, Cecilia Stepaniak and Coreydon Stepaniak allegedly endangered a child below the age of 15.
"The indictment alleges acts including falsely reporting to a medical care provider that the minor victim was removed from school for bullying elementary school children; dangerously restricting the minor’s food intake; hitting the minor victim with a cell phone charging cable; holding a sharp kitchen knife to the minor victim’s throat; kicking the minor victim while on the ground; locking the minor victim in a dark closet; confining the minor victim to the garage of their Fort Bliss residence; and forcing the minor victim to perform calisthenics exercises multiple times a day for extended periods of time," a Justice Department spokesperson said.
The Stepaniaks are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit injury to a child, injury to a child, child endangerment, and child abandonment each.
A U.S. Attorney's Office spokesperson says they cannot provide any details on the relationship of the Stepaniaks to the child.
Coreydon Stepaniak is stationed at Fort Bliss, according to federal officials. We have reached out to the post and are waiting to hear back.
