An Indiana couple was formally charged with murder this week in the death of a 6-year-old boy.

Franklin Elmore Jr., aged 29, and Cheyenne Elmore, aged 27, stood before the court on Monday to address charges related to the death of Franklin Elmore’s son, according to a report from WNDU.

CrimeOnline had initially reported that the Elmores were detained last week following an incident where the young boy was taken to a hospital with severe injuries, which his father claimed were self-inflicted. However, an investigation uncovered surveillance footage from the child’s “playroom” that depicted the father assaulting him prior to his passing.

Additional court documents indicate that Elmore had been pacing in the yard with his hands on his head before the stepmother, who witnessed the assault and failed to intervene, placed a call to 911.

Medical staff in the emergency department suspected the injuries were not self-caused, as suggested by the father. They discovered a brain hemorrhage, a punctured lung, and numerous bruises and abrasions all over the child’s body.

WNDU also engaged in conversation with the boy’s biological mother residing in Alabama. She revealed that she had frequently reached out to the state’s Department of Child Services due to concerns raised by her son. According to her, the agency told her “they could do nothing because they didn’t find any bruises.”

“But when my son tells me that he goes to bed hungry at night when he gets in trouble, I don’t care if there’s food in that house,” she stated. “There could be a thousand dollars worth of food in that house. Are they feeding it to him? Is he eating it?”

The mother said she had filed a formal report with the state agency, but they allegedly said they found nothing that required action. The agency sent the station a statement saying they were aware of an investigation but providing no information “due to an ongoing police investigation or criminal prosecution.”