Parents of Malnourished North Miami Beach Boy Back in Court

The parents of a severely malnourished boy who was found beaten and naked in the middle of a North Miami Beach street last month were back in court Wednesday.

Marsee Strong and Edward Bailey appeared before Miami-Dade Juvenile Court Judge Cindy Lederman to hammer out a plea deal regarding their four juvenile children, including their 9-year-old son who was found wandering in the middle of a street on Jan. 28 weighing just 35 pounds.

Under the deal, the couple would admit there's a problem in their home that led to harm and medical neglect, requiring the intervention of Department of Children and Families but would absolve them of some wrongdoing.

The deal says Strong and Bailey admit to a degree of culpability for the condition their son was in, saying they couldn't meet his special needs on his own.

Police said the boy, one of the couple's six children, had jumped from the rear window of the family's home and had permanent marks of abuse all over his body.

Strong and Bailey were arrested Jan. 30 on child neglect charges, but both denied physically abusing the child. They were released on bond earlier this month.

The boy was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital, and the three other juvenile children were placed in the care of the DCF.

During Wednesday's hearing, it was revealed that the boy had gained about 15 pounds in the hospital, where he remains.

Strong and Bailey declined to comment as they left court Wednesday.

Officials said the boy has an eating disorder and is chronically malnourished but the cause was unknown. He also suffers from anxiety issues, post traumatic stress disorder and other behavioral issues.

Strong and Bailey will be back in juvenile court on March 7, where the DCF will discuss ways to provide the family the services they need and to institute family therapy.

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