Connecticut man Eduardo Montanez used electric dog collar on nine-year-old child

A couple have been arrested on child abuse charges after police discovered they were using an electric dog collar to punish a nine-year-old girl in their care.

Eduardo and Paula Montanez,from Danbury, were arrested on Tuesday after a school employee contacted the state Department of Children and Families regarding suspected child abuse.

An investigation found that Montanez put a PetSafe dog collar on her after she came home with a bad school report and forced her to bark so the collar would shock her.

His wife watched and did nothing to stop it, police said. 

Couple's home: Eduardo and Paula Montanez, a husband and wife who live at 109 Kohanza Street in Danbury, were arrested on Tuesday

The child told a teacher about getting shocked and said the couple had beaten her several times.

The nine-year-old said it happened one time but marks on her neck indicate it probably occurred more than once, NBC reports.

Police said the couple's dog Maggie wears a shock collar which has thick metal prongs designed for heavy fur and a thick hide. Though they did not say if it was the same one used on the child.

Eduardo Montanez, 43, was arrested and charged with third-degree assault, two counts of risk of injury to a minor and cruelty to a person.

He was held on a $250,000 bond.

File photo: Police said the couple was upset about the girl's progress report, so Montanez put a PetSafe collar around her neck and forced her to bark so the collar would shock her

Paula Montanez, 34, was charged with two counts of risk of injury to a minor, conspiracy to commit third-degree assault and conspiracy to commit cruelty to a person.

Her bond was set at $200,000.

The nine-year-old girl is now in state custody.