FUQUAY-VARINA, N.C. (WTVD) -- A Raleigh man has been arrested for allegedly abusing his girlfriend's children in Fuquay-Varina.
In February, search warrants were executed at the Fuquay-Varina home where 32-year-old John Rufus Polk III lived with his girlfriend and her children. Those search warrants were executed as part of a child abuse investigation.
Nearly two months later, Polk has been charged with assault inflicting serious bodily injury and assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury.
Complaints from three brothers--ages 14, 15 and 16--include being beaten with an HDMI cord, being beaten naked in the shower, whipped doing pushups, forced to clean the kitchen floor with a toothbrush for hours, and write "what happens in this house, stays in this house" thousands of times.
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In November 2018, investigators said the 15-year-old showed up to school with a black and bloodied eye.
School officials then spoke with one of the brothers to confirm the alleged abuse.
Warrants state the children were removed by Child Protective Services (CPS) from the home on Nov. 3, 2018 and taken to live with family in Indiana.
During that time, a CPS agent said the boys were covered in marks, bruises, scabs and other injuries.
Warrants state the boys' mother knew about the alleged abuse but said the teens "didn't care."
On Friday, Polk faced a judge for the first time.
The judge denied the defense's request to drop the bond from $100,000 to $25,000.
Polk will make another court appearance at 2 p.m. on May 2.