VERNON, Conn. (AP) - Vernon police have charged a 24-year-old man and his girlfriend for the alleged beatings of three children with plastic baseball bats.

Police say Christopher Dubay urged the three children, ages 6, 4 and 2, to beat one another with the bats, then allegedly beat them himself. Authorities say all the children had extensive bruising.

Dubay is charged with assault, cruelty to persons and other crimes. His girlfriend, 24-year-old Krystal Burgess, is accused of failing to get medical attention for the children. Both were jailed in lieu of bail.

Police say there was also a 1-year-old child in the home who was not beaten.

Authorities say Burgess is the mother of all the children and Dubay is the father of the youngest two. All the children were placed in state custody.

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     Information from: Journal Inquirer, http://www.journalinquirer.com, and The Hartford Courant, http://www.courant.com.
    
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