A Masury couple faces felony child endangerment charges after a Brookfield judge toughened the previous charges from misdemeanors.

Joseph Simpson, 43, and Theresa Simpson, 40, of 8207 Ohio St., were charged last month with abusing their 16-year-old son. The boy, now in the custody of Trumbull County Children's Services, told police his parents had been abusing him for the last couple of years.

The Simpsons were arrested Feb. 10 on first-degree misdemeanor charges of domestic violence and child endangerment. However, on Thursday Eastern District Court Judge Ronald J. Rice stiffened the child endangerment charges, filing third-degree felony counts against both parents, according to a court clerk.

The Simpsons, who are free on bond, have pleaded not guilty. A pre-trial has not yet been scheduled.

A temporary protection order remains intact against the couple. The order requires that they have no contact, directly or indirectly, with their son.

Police received a call Feb. 10 about a man chasing a barefoot boy through the snow. The man turned out to be Joseph Simpson, police said.

When they found the boy, police said he was still shoeless and his feet were injured. It also appeared as if he'd been abused for awhile, due to bruises in various stages of healing all over the boy's body, police said.