Texas couple accused of waterboarding 13-year-old boy

A North Texas woman and her boyfriend are accused of tying a rope around her 13-year-old son's genitals and subjecting him to waterboarding as a punishment.

Kaufman County spokesman Fred Klingelberger said Thursday they each face a charge of felony injury to a child. The charge carries a maximum 20-year prison sentence.

A sheriff's affidavit says the incident happened in January. Investigators say the man grabbed the boy and held a towel over his face as the woman poured water over his face. The tactic is known as waterboarding, which has been banned by the U.S. for questioning terror suspects.

The boy told authorities he was punished for admitting he touched the family dog in an inappropriate way.

The Associated Press isn't naming the couple to shield the boy's identity.