A man abused 5-year-old twins in his care, resulting in their hospitalization, Kentucky police said.
While at a Louisville home on July 12, the man, 20, reportedly punched the twin boys repeatedly in their foreheads and groin areas, according to police records.
An attorney for the man could not immediately be reached for comment by McClatchy News.
The man, who was dating the children’s mother, held the children by their hair while he struck them with a closed fist, police said.
He then is accused of placing one of the twins in a washing machine before closing the lid.
While inside, the child was unable to breathe, he later told police. The other twin told police that the washing machine was “making noises.”
The children were later taken to the emergency room at Norton Children’s Hospital, though it’s not clear under what circumstances.
The hospital contacted authorities following the suspected abuse, saying two young victims were in the emergency room and had sustained blunt force trauma, according to police records. One victim also had an acute liver injury.
The man was arrested on July 13, police said. He has been charged with first-degree criminal abuse.