NC man charged with felony child abuse, warrants describe malnutrition, developmental delays

The Durham County Sheriff's Office has charged a man with four counts of felony child abuse.

Stephen Joe Petrea, 39, is accused of not providing adequate nutrition or medical care to a 5-year-old child, according to court records.

The warrant states the child suffered from gross motor developmental delays, cognitive impairments and cognitive delays. The child also suffered from osteopenia (low bone density), eczema and malnutrition as a result of the abuse, according to the warrant.

Court documents show the child endured "refeeding syndrome," a dangerous condition defined by the National Institutes of Health as the result of "rapid initiation of refeeding after a period of undernutrition."

Petrea, whose address is listed in Alamance County, was transferred to the Durham County Detention Center on Monday.