Woman Guilty in Beating, Feeding of Insects to Boy

A 33-year-old Los Angeles woman has been convicted of abusing a 7-year-old boy who testified that for eight months he was beaten, forced to eat insects and fed only bread and water.

Claudia DuPont was found guilty Thursday of two counts of misdemeanor child abuse and faces up to 18 months in jail.

“It seemed like indiscriminate cruelty for no reason at all,” said Deputy City Atty. Charles Aguado.

The boy’s father had left him with the woman while he sought work in another state, authorities said. The father previously had lived with DuPont, they said.

Dupont placed insects on the boy’s food on several occasions and forced him to eat them, Aguado said. The boy had extensive bruises on his buttocks and legs, but because he did not have serious physical injuries, DuPont was convicted of misdemeanor child abuse counts. Sentencing is scheduled for March 2. The boy is living in a foster home.