Utah Mom and Boyfriend in Connection with 8-Year-Old Boy Who Allegedly Had Hair Pulled Out and Gun Aimed at His Head

A Utah mother and her boyfriend are facing 29 charges for the alleged prolonged abuse of the woman’s children, including choking, physically assaulting and pulling out one of the kids’ hair, according to authorities.

On Aug. 21, officers responded to a home in Magna after 27-year-old Sarah Sorensen claimed that her boyfriend, 34-year-old Kristopher North, had hit her 6-year-old son and attempted to strangle him, according to the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office.

Officers said they observed red marks on the child’s neck, as well as scratches on his body, bruising and numerous open wounds on his buttocks.

All three children in the home, ages 6, 8, and 9, were transported to a nearby hospital, officials said.

According to prosecutors, North allegedly had been abusing the children since 2020 — “forcing them to do push-ups, slapping them when they failed, kicking them on multiple occasions and choking them.”

Authorities said North also pulled out the 8-year-old child’s hair, causing bald spots, and aimed a gun toward his head.

One of the children allegedly had once been punched to the point of losing consciousness, according to arrest documents obtained by KSTU-TV.

Sorenson told police that she thought her son suffered a concussion because “he was not speaking clearly, could not stand up on his own and his pupils were dilated differently.”

In an interview, Sorenson told detectives that North became upset with her son for using a door handle to get out of their vehicle, according to arrest documents.

North then ordered the 6-year-old to “get in a pushup position,” and when the child didn’t do the push-ups correctly, North kicked the boy, according to police.

When the boy failed to answer North’s questions as “sir” or “yes, sir,” or didn’t give proper answers, the suspect allegedly slapped the child.

According to authorities, Sorenson is accused of failing to report the alleged abuse, which allegedly occurred over several years.

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North spoke with authorities, who claim he allegedly admitted to grabbing the victims by the back of their necks to “show them where they’re supposed to be and what they’re supposed to do.”

Police said North insisted that “if they just breathe through their nose, they would be fine.”

On Aug. 29, Sorenson and North each were charged with 21 counts of second-degree felony aggravated child abuse, and eight counts of misdemeanor child abuse, authorities said.