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Man charged with murder for giving ice baths to 12-year-old as punishment

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A Summit County Grand Jury has indicted a 23-year-old man for the death of a 12-year-old boy whom he allegedly gave ice baths to as a form of punishment.

12-year-old boy in Akron punished with ice baths before his death

RELATED: 12-year-old boy punished with ice baths before his death

The defendant, Anthony McCants, is charged with one count of murder and eight counts of endangering children, according to Summit County Court of Common Pleas records.

Akron police previously said that, as punishment, McCants forced the boy to participate in ice baths on March 22. The first one lasted around 45 minutes, with short breaks of push-ups and other physical activity. Then, another round in the afternoon.

After the second round of punishment, the boy began to vomit and seize, police said back in March. That's when someone in the house called 911, saying his 12-year-old brother needed help.

The boy was rushed to the hospital, where he died.

Court records state that his core temperature was 74 degrees. For context, doctors say that hypothermia sets in when body temperatures drop below 95 degrees.

McCants has an arraignment scheduled for May 14 in Judge Alison McCarty's courtroom.

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