Kaufman County couple accused of waterboarding, tying rope around boy's genitals

A Kaufman County couple is accused of torturing a boy with special needs as punishment.

Police said Christi Howell and her boyfriend Casey Shackleford held the boy down, placed a towel over his face and poured water over it – essentially waterboarding the boy.

A Kaufman County investigator said Howell is a relative of the boy and that she admitted she poured water over him, but said it was Shackleford's idea.

According to the affidavit, they also tied a rope around the boy's genitals and neck -- kicking and beating him while they forced him to do push-ups. The boy’s exact age was not released by officials.

Howell was being held on a $250,000 dollar bond for injury to a child. Shackleford turned himself in to police overnight.