Calif. Couple and Their Daughter, 23, Charged with Torture After Allegedly Abusing 6 Foster Kids

A pair and their daughter had been charged with torture within the alleged bodily, emotional and psychological abuse of six foster youngsters they cared for, the San Bernardino County District Lawyer’s Workplace stated in a Wednesday, Could 14, news release. 

Kenneth Michael Key, 60, Tina Marie Sheffield Key, 60, and their daughter Kaitlynn Marresa Key, 23, had been arrested Monday, Could 12. 

They had been every charged with six felony counts of torture and one rely of kid abuse below circumstances prone to trigger nice bodily harm or dying. Prosecutors are additionally alleging a particular allegation of non-public infliction of nice bodily harm, per the information launch.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Division Crimes In opposition to Kids Unit and Loma Linda College Medical Middle Kids’s Evaluation Middle investigated after authorities obtained a tip from a caller to a toddler abuse hotline on Feb. 13, per the felony grievance obtained by PEOPLE. The kids had been instantly faraway from the house that month, San Bernardino sheriff’s spokesperson Mara Rodriguez stated, per ABC News.

It was alleged that the three adults subjected all six foster youngsters, who had been between the ages of 4 and 16, to years of bodily, emotional, and psychological abuse. “The abuse included every day beatings, strangulation to the purpose of unconsciousness, and punishments of withholding meals and water from the kids for a interval of days,” the information launch stated.

A neighbor of the Key household, Jose Martinez, advised ABC7 that he was shocked to be taught of the allegations in opposition to his neighbors. 

“I by no means heard any dangerous noises,” Martinez stated. “I’d take out their trash, and see the cans had been stuffed with snacks, so I can not imagine they did not have any meals or being denied clothes or stuff like that, as a result of they had been fairly regular.”

“Nothing was suspicious in any respect,” he added. “The children would come out, I’d give them popsicles and they’d by no means point out something to me.”

Martinez stated that after the kids had been faraway from the house, Tina advised Martinez that she and the opposite two relations had been being investigated for alleged little one abuse.

“Tina was very in shock, she was emotional that they took the children away,” he stated. “They denied every little thing. I imply, I by no means seen any issues. I’ve all the time seen the children out right here enjoying. It is a lonely neighborhood, so that they saved to themselves, to be trustworthy.”

The three defendants are every being held on $1,000,000 bail. Their arraignment is scheduled for Thursday, Could 15, by way of video on the Rancho Cucamonga Superior Courthouse.

Anybody with details about the case is inspired to contact Detective Katie Merrill of the sheriff’s Specialised Investigations Division, Crimes In opposition to Kids Element at (909) 890-4904. Callers wishing to stay nameless could name the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463) or depart info on the We-Tip web site at wetip.com.

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In the event you suspect little one abuse, name the Childhelp Nationwide Baby Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Baby or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is obtainable 24/7 in additional than 170 languages.