Man takes plea deal in Hernando teen abuse case

Christopher Collette

BROOKSVILLE, Florida (AP) -- The boyfriend of a Hernando County woman charged with beating a teenage boy, forcing him to sleep on the floor and keeping him locked in a bathroom for days has pleaded guilty for his part in the abuse.

Previous Story: Teen tortured in his own Hernando home

Four days before going to trial, 46-year-old Anton Angelo agreed on Thursday to accept a plea deal. In exchange for testifying against 51-year-old Tai-Ling Gigliotti, prosecutors agreed to drop one of two aggravated child abuse charges against Angelo. He will serve five years of probation but no prison time.

Gigliotti faces five counts of aggravated child abuse and one count of felony child abuse.

The teen escaped from a Spring Hill home in February 2009. He told authorities he had spent a good part of 15 months imprisoned in a bathroom.