A New Hampshire man is behind bars after allegedly kidnapping, tying up, and brutally assaulting his elderly parents for 12 hours inside their home. According to court documents, police responded to a 911 call around 5:30 a.m. on October 15 from an 82-year-old man who reported that he and his 77-year-old wife had fallen down the stairs at their Cotton Hill Road home in Belmont.
When officers arrived, they found the couple’s 42-year-old son, Nathaniel Kay, at the scene and took him into custody. Authorities later learned the situation was far more violent than initially reported. The elderly father told investigators that his son had beaten both parents for roughly half a day, punching and kicking them repeatedly in the head and upper body.
Kay allegedly tied his parents with a clothesline, forced them into the garage, and continued the assault before dragging them back into the house. According to police, Kay only allowed his parents to call for medical help if they agreed to tell paramedics they had fallen down the stairs.
“It’s definitely different,” Belmont Police Chief Stephen Akerstom said of the case. “Usually, we’ll respond to incidents like this — it’s, you know, something that has recently happened. Not over the course of 12 hours. That’s really the difference here with this case.”
Both victims were hospitalized following the attack. The mother was treated for a brain bleed, while the father suffered broken ribs and a broken nose. Police said the father has since been released from the hospital.
In the wake of the shocking incident, the New Hampshire Commission on Aging urged the public to stay connected with older neighbors and loved ones to help prevent abuse. “It’s a very challenging area because we also want to be aware that we don’t want to make an assumption just because of someone’s age that they are fragile,” said Lily Wellington, the commission’s executive director.
“Anytime someone suspects abuse or neglect, calling Adult Protective Services is the appropriate intervention,” Wellington added. “Those are the folks that have been doing this and are the experts in what classifies as abuse or neglect.”
Kay faces multiple charges, including kidnapping, second-degree assault, criminal restraint, and simple assault. He is currently being held without bail under preventive detention, and a court date has not yet been scheduled.