I’m sure you remember the infamous ‘House of Horrors’ case where the parents kept their children in the home under horrible conditions. Sadly, there are more similarly deplorable households where children live.
This true crime is an example. The local authorities and the Children’s, Youth, and Family Department received tips about the family. When a deputy or social worker would show up at the home to perform a welfare check, it was as if someone had tipped off the adults. They’d find adequate living conditions.
Responding to a tip that children were being locked in dog kennels, the authorities executed a search warrant. In this house of horrors, the investigation found three women were the perpetrators. One woman, age 37, with two romantic relationships, age 29 and 41, at different times—not a three-person romance. All three women had children. The six children’s ages ranged from 5 to 16. The authorities arrested all three women.
For unknown reasons, someone recorded the child abuse. During the search, they found a video showing three-days of abuse. Also, a child chained to their bed—water and food withheld for 14 hours. Children being beaten. On the recording, the 37-year-old woman smashed an 11-year-old’s face into vomit—that child said he hadn’t eaten in two days. It’s no surprise the children did not attend school. Abused children attending school may tell someone about the abuse.
The women have all pleaded guilty or no contest to child abuse.
At the sentencing for the 37-year-old and the 29-year-old, the judge said,
“I have been on the bench [many years] and this case is high up on my list of cruel and inhumane actions against a child.”
I’d like to point out, based on how the judge worded his comment, he’d seen other cases where children had suffered cruel and inhumane conditions. Keep in mind, the town where this happened has a population of about 1,000.
The judge sentenced the 37-year-old woman to 15 years in prison, and the 29-year-old woman to six years in prison. Because the incarceration is in the state prison system, they can parole the women early. The third woman is awaiting her sentencing.
Source: Ninth Judicial District Attorney, Law & Crime, NBC News