Deputies said home video showed a 14-year-old forced into dog urine and struck.
ASCENSION PARISH, La. — A Louisiana couple accused of abusing a 14-year-old boy was booked into the Ascension Parish Jail after detectives said home video showed the teen being forced into dog urine and struck, the sheriff’s office said.
Gina Sagona, 44, was arrested on one count of cruelty to a juvenile. Mark Sagona, 45, was arrested on a charge of principal to cruelty to a juvenile. Detectives said the case began with a child abuse report from the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services and remains under investigation.
Detectives with the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office Juvenile Unit responded Monday, April 27, to a report involving a 14-year-old male at the Sagona residence, authorities said. The report came from DCFS and led investigators to review home video footage from inside the residence. Deputies said the video showed Gina Sagona forcing the teen face down into dog urine and dragging him through it. Authorities said the boy also was struck multiple times during the incident. Mark Sagona was present during portions of the episode, according to the sheriff’s office.
Investigators said Gina Sagona later admitted to the abuse during an interview with detectives. Both defendants were arrested and booked into the Ascension Parish Jail in Donaldsonville. Jail records list Gina Sagona as booked at 7:41 p.m. April 27 with a $50,000 bond and a status of awaiting arraignment. Mark Sagona was booked at 7:16 p.m. the same day with a $40,000 bond and the same awaiting arraignment status. Records did not list a release date for either defendant as of the latest public jail entries.
The sheriff’s office has not released the teen’s name, and officials have not publicly detailed his condition after the reported abuse. Authorities also have not said how the teen is related to Gina and Mark Sagona. The case file made public so far centers on the DCFS report, the video reviewed by detectives, the alleged admission by Gina Sagona and Mark Sagona’s alleged presence during parts of the incident. Officials have not announced whether more charges could be filed as the investigation continues.
The arrests drew attention across the Baton Rouge area because of the age of the alleged victim and the nature of the evidence described by deputies. Ascension Parish includes Prairieville and sits between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. The sheriff’s office said the case was handled by juvenile detectives, a unit that investigates reports involving children and possible abuse. The public record released so far does not say who recorded the video, who turned it over to authorities or whether the footage captured the full incident.
Court proceedings are expected to determine the next steps in the case. The charges are accusations, and both defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. The sheriff’s office said Gina Sagona was arrested for cruelty to a juvenile, while Mark Sagona was arrested as a principal to cruelty to a juvenile. In Louisiana criminal cases, a principal charge can apply when a person is accused of aiding, encouraging or being legally responsible for another person’s alleged crime. Prosecutors had not publicly announced an arraignment date in the first reports.
Public jail records listed Mark Sagona as a 45-year-old Prairieville man and Gina Sagona as a 44-year-old woman with a Sorrento address. Local reports identified the case as involving the Sagona residence in Ascension Parish. Authorities released booking information and mugshots through the sheriff’s office, but they did not release the teen’s identity. The sheriff’s office said the investigation was ongoing, leaving open questions about the full timeline, what led to the DCFS report and whether investigators are reviewing any earlier allegations.
The case remains with the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office as detectives continue reviewing evidence. Gina Sagona’s bond was listed at $50,000, and Mark Sagona’s bond was listed at $40,000. The next major step is expected to be the defendants’ first court appearance or arraignment.
Author note: Last updated May 4, 2026.