OKC Mother, Boyfriend Charged In Connection With Child Abuse

Child abuse charges have been filed against an Oklahoma City mother and her live-in boyfriend.

Right now, the mother, Taylor Haight, faces three counts of enabling child abuse, and her boyfriend at the time, Gregory Ruiz,  faces three counts of committing the abuse.

According to court papers, a 7-year-old disclosed that Ruiz would spank him and his two younger brothers and that he would use a black belt with diamonds to do it.

The 7-year-old claimed Ruiz would force them to sit in a closet when their mom was gone and would force them to do pushups and squats on the wall, holding two heavy cans.

The child said that Ruiz would grab his neck and hold him against the wall and would say things like "I will kill you," "You should not live with us," and "I will send you to boot camp."

It all started with a call to this northwest Oklahoma City neighborhood near NW 145 Street to investigate a claim about a child with bruises all over his body.

The police report states back in April, a 7-year-old, who was a student at Charles Haskell Elementary school was seen with bruises under his chin, along his neck and on his bottom. He also missed several days of school.

DHS was called, and the boy and his two younger brothers were taken into protective custody.

Neighbors did not want to talk on camera but said they often saw the children with bruising on their arms and legs.

News 9 went to Haight's house and talked with this man who came to the door and talked to us about the charges against Haight and Ruiz. Turns out, the man News 9 talked to may have been Ruiz himself.

Neighbors told News 9 it was him even though he gave us a name of Walter.

And Haight's attorney said a man claiming to be Ruiz called him this afternoon, and talked about a news crew coming by the home.

News 9 talked with Taylor Haight on the phone as well. She said she did not know that she had been charged, and had absolutely no comment on the accusations against her and Ruiz.

Court papers reveal she had met Ruiz online in October 2014 and that he moved in two months later.

Haight claims he went by the name of Gregory Verastegui.

Police searched his criminal background and discovered that is one of his many alias names and that he had been arrested back in September 2008 for sex with a minor under 16 in Norwalk, California. He was convicted and received a two year prison sentence and 36 months of probation.

Court papers also reveal that Haight is currently pregnant with Ruiz’s child.