Little boy forced to take 'cold showers,' sprayed down with water while he was 'fully clothed and shivering' as punishment for being 'disrespectful'

Anthony Banker (Shoshone County Sheriff's Office).

An Idaho man is headed to prison for decades after putting a 4-year-old boy through torturous punishments, including spraying him down with cold water while he was "fully clothed and shivering." The abuse led to two brain bleeds, a blood clot, low sodium levels and severe bruising.

Anthony Banker, 39, was sentenced on Nov. 5 to four consecutive prison terms for felony injury-to-a-child convictions involving the son of his girlfriend, Sage Bryant. Bryant pleaded guilty to felony injury to a child and was sentenced to 20 years in prison in exchange for testimony against Banker, according to the Coeur d'Alene/Post Falls Press.

Banker reportedly received 33 years total, with 16 years fixed and 17 years indeterminate, and was given credit for 70 days served. The judge rejected Banker's request for probation, citing his continued denial of responsibility despite the jury's verdict.

The abuse came to light in May 2025, when the victim was rushed to a hospital. Investigators seized the cellphones of Banker and Bryant. The devices contained videos, audio recordings and text messages that prosecutors said documented the mistreatment of the child at Banker's home near Prichard.

One video showed the boy restrained in a car seat "with a blindfold and handcuffs placed on him," according to Shoshone County Prosecutor Ben Allen.

Allen reportedly spoke in court about audio of the child "being abused" and evidence that he was "sprayed with cold water while fully clothed and shivering as a punishment," according to the Coeur d'Alene/Post Falls Press. Investigators also found messages that alluded to Banker forcing the child to eat his own feces.

Prosecutors said the adults initially offered an explanation for the boy's injuries that did not make sense to medical professionals, claiming he had fainted after a warm bath. Further investigation uncovered evidence of repeated punishments, including excessive spanking, isolation, forced physical exercise and cold showers.

During Banker's trial, Bryant reportedly said Banker portrayed her son as "disrespectful and unruly," according to Allen. "He taught her to inflict various punishments on the child, including excessive spanking, isolation with restraints, continuous physical exercise, and abusive cold showers," Allen said.

The defense blamed Bryant, while prosecutors countered that Banker had exercised control over the situation and helped escalate the abuse. Jurors heard recordings of Banker discussing the boy's behavior and bathroom habits.

Banker did not testify.

After jurors convicted him, he reportedly broke down in tears and appeared to suffer a panic attack while being taken into custody. As he was escorted from the courtroom, he yelled out, "I should have testified."

The victim's grandmother and legal guardian spoke at Banker's sentencing and told the court that the child continues to show signs of trauma and may carry the effects of the abuse for years. He has made significant progress, though, in his recovery and remains in her custody.