Tag: child abuse
Parents arrested after teen dies following religious fast
REEDSBURG, Wis. — Wisconsin prosecutors charged a father and mother Tuesday with child neglect for allegedly allowing their teenage son to starve to death and his brother to become severely emaciated during a religious fast.
Sauk County prosecutors charged Kehinde Omosebi, 49, and Titilayo Omosebi, 48, with child neglect causing death and child neglect causing great bodily harm. Both charges are felonies and carry a combined maximum sentence of 37 years in prison, the Wisconsin State Journal reported.
Sauk County Circuit Judge Wendy J.N. Klicko set bail at $5,000 for Kehinde Omosebi during his initial court appearance Tuesday. His attorney, listed in online court records as Leonie Dolch, didn’t immediately return a voicemail. Assistant District Attorney Linda Hoffman said Kehinde Omosebi told police he believes he has done nothing wrong, the State Journal reported.
Titilayo Omosebi is due to make her initial appearance Wednesday. Online court records didn’t list an attorney for her.
Kehinde Omosebi walked to the Reedsburg police station Sunday to report the death of his 15-year-old son, according to police Chief Timothy Becker. When police arrived at the family’s home they found the dead teen and an extremely emaciated 11-year-old boy. The mother was also found to be emaciated.
Becker said the father told police he was a minister affiliated with Cornerstone Reformation Ministries and that the family had started a religious fast on July 19. Investigators do not believe the father is a minister and made up the name of the ministry, Becker said.
“There’s no IRS number, no corporation,” he said.
No food was found in the house and police had to force their way into the home because doors were padlocked on the inside.
“The residence had no phone, no power, no food,” Becker told the State Journal. “There was a gym bag in the garage with some clothes in it. That was it, with the exception of a tambourine that was found.”
Hoffman, the assistant district attorney, said Kehinde Omosebi told police he was planning to move his family to Atlanta. He sold all the family’s belongings and hadn’t paid rent in several months, she said in court.
Dolch told the court that Kehinde Omosebi had worked at a Reedsburg foundry but has been unemployed since February.
The younger boy and his mother were brought to the hospital. The mother refused treatment, citing religious reasons, and was taken to the Sauk County Jail.
The 11-year-old is in protective custody at Children’s Hospital in Madison. Becker said the parents are eating while jailed in Baraboo. Reedsburg, a community of about 10,000, is located approximately 130 miles west of Milwaukee.
via: https://nypost.com/2018/09/04/parents-arrested-after-teen-dies-following-religious-fast/
Mom arrested after forcing child to walk to sheriff for ‘misbehaving’
A Florida mom faces charges for allegedly forcing her 9-year-old daughter to walk to the sheriff’s office for “misbehaving.”
Marshell Williams, 30, was charged with child abuse and neglect Friday after her malnourished daughter was discovered walking alone in Gifford, the Treasure Coast Newspapers reported.
Authorities said a Good Samaritan picked up the bruised child and contacted law enforcement.
The woman reportedly drove the girl home where Williams allegedly told the child, “I’m gonna f–k you up.”
Deputies arrested the mom after she admitted to striking her daughter to discipline her.
The young girl appeared to have several large bruises on her body, according to authorities.
Williams was booked at Indian River County Jail, where she was released Saturday on $20,0000 bail.
via: https://nypost.com/2018/08/22/mom-arrested-after-forcing-child-to-walk-to-sheriff-for-misbehaving/
Dad beat baby nearly to death because she ‘kept falling’ while learning to walk
A Texas dad accused of nearly beating his baby girl to death was allegedly punishing her for falling while learning to walk, according to officials.
Anthony Williams, of El Paso, remained in custody Tuesday for allegedly causing life-threatening injuries to his 1-year-old daughter, according to the El Paso Police Department.
Police said they responded to a family violence call at Williams’ home Friday morning and found the baby unresponsive. The little girl was then brought to University Medical Center for treatment.
The 27-year-old reportedly told police that he “struck” the baby multiple times “because she kept falling while he was ‘teaching’ her to walk.”
Williams was arrested the same day and faces charges for injury to a child. He was booked into El Paso Detention Facility, where his bond is set at $750,000.
Dionne Warwick Addresses Molestation Claims Against Her Sister in ‘Whitney’ Film, ‘Totally Hogwash’
he cousin of Whitney Houston and sister of Dee Dee Warwick, has addressed allegations that her sister molested Houston and her younger brother in an interview on Larry King Now. The allegations surfaced in the recent Whitney documentary, in which the “How Will I Know” singer’s longtime assistant, Mary Jones, claims that Whitney told her that Dee Dee Warwick molested her as a child.
During the Larry King interview, Dionne Warwick stood by her sister and claimed that the allegations are “totally hogwash.”
“I have tried to refrain from responding to that,” she said. “First of all, it’s totally hogwash. My sister would never, ever have done anything to do any harm to any child, especially within our family. And for those lies to be perpetuated in this so-called documentary film [Whitney], I think it’s evil. I will never, and I mean this, ever forgive those who perpetuated this insanity,” she added.
In July, Houston’s mother, Cissy, gave a statement about the events and said that she and her sister were only made aware of the allegations two days before the film’s screening at the Cannes Film Festival on May 16. “We cannot overstate the shock and horror we feel and the difficulty we have believing that my niece Dee Dee Warwick… molested two of my three children,” the singer’s mother stated.
Whitney’s brother, Gary Garland, claims that Dee Dee molested him between the ages of 7-9, though he was not aware of his sister’s alleged abuse until the film’s release. Whitney Houston died in 2012, with the coroner’s report saying the cause of death was drowning and the effects of atherosclerotic heart disease and cocaine use.
Watch a clip from the upcoming interview with King below. The full interview will air on Aug. 15.
Watch Lovelyti’s video on the situation here:
Article via: Dionne Warwick Addresses Molestation Claims Against Her Sister in ‘Whitney’ Film, ‘Totally Hogwash’
Family of pedophiles raped kids for 30 years before being caught
A sick family raped children during a 30-year campaign of abuse branded the “worst ever case of its kind” by a judge.
Twisted Antony Potts and three members of his family carried out a string of child abuse offenses over the course of three decades.
The 49-year-old was described as a “deeply depraved man” as he was jailed for life at Birmingham Crown Court.
He was convicted of 13 counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and nine counts of inciting a child to perform a sexual act and cruelty.
Antony was joined in the docket by his dad, Keith Potts, who was caged for eight years alongside his wife, Julie, both for child cruelty.
Antony’s wife, Elaine, and family friend Joanne Hoye were also both jailed for four years after pleading guilty to neglect.
Brother Joshua Potts admitted to multiple counts of rape and sexual assault against children, while his sibling Nathan, 26, was jailed for 16 years for two counts of rape of a child, four counts of sexual assault, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and sex with another adult.
Jailing Antony Potts, Judge Carr told him: “You are a deeply depraved man who has taken many, many opportunities to abuse children and corrupt them.
“These are horrendous offenses.
“In 50 years practice and presiding over cases like this, I cannot think of a worse one.”
The court heard how the sickening abuse first came to light in 1989 when a girl came forward and told cops what Antony had done to her.
But the case was never brought to trial and in May 2015, three more children – all aged under 14 – said they had been abused by Antony and others.
Police were once again called but it was decided there was insufficient evidence to bring charges. However, the case was reopened in January 2016 when a fifth victim came forward.
The full extent of the abuse began to unravel and a further three victims were identified – meaning the vile family could be brought to trial.
Jurors were read emotional victim impact statements giving harrowing details of how the victims were “groomed and brainwashed” by their abusers.
One said the abuse had a “major impact” on her life and she felt she was “let down as a child” by the police.
She also said she has suffered from “constant and daily panic attacks,” has post-traumatic stress disorder and has “reduced self-worth.”
Another victim said: “I want Antony to go to prison all his life so he can’t hurt anyone else.”
Joshua Potts will be sentenced in August.
via: https://nypost.com/2018/07/18/family-of-pedophiles-raped-kids-for-30-years-before-being-caught/
Ex-day care owner gets probation for trying to hang toddler
MINNEAPOLIS — A former Minneapolis day care owner was sentenced Monday to 10 years of probation for trying to kill a toddler in her home by hanging him. Nataliia Karia, 43, received her punishment in Hennepin County court after pleading guilty to attempted murder and third-degree assault earlier. She also pleaded guilty to criminal vehicular operation for hitting a pedestrian, a bicyclist and another driver as she fled from her home in a minivan in November 2016.
Karia abandoned a possible insanity defense before entering the guilty plea, reports the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
Karia also must follow court-ordered mental health treatment and will be on electronic home monitoring for at least two months, the Star Tribune reported. She will live with her adult son but cannot have unsupervised contact with her daughters or other minors.
According to the criminal complaint, a father was dropping off his son at Karia’s home when Karia led him toward the basement, where he saw the toddler hanging from a noose. He released the child and fled with him. The 16-month-old boy survived. Police reportedly said a week after the incident the child was doing fine physically after a hospitalization.
Judge Jay Quam agreed with the assessment by doctors that Karia was “a low risk” to reoffend. He called her actions “the perfect storm of factors unlikely to ever be repeated.”
Defense attorney Brockton Hunter expressed relief on behalf of Karia.
“We came in here with our hearts in our throats,” Hunter said.
He said Karia, who has spent 20 months in jail since the incident and will get credit for her time already served, will leave jail no later than Tuesday.
Karia, who arrived in the United States from Ukraine in 2006, promised to follow probation and said in court she was glad no one died. She said in a statement her husband abused her, forced her to work despite her psychological struggles and prevented her from getting medical attention, reports the Star-Tribune.
“I don’t want to push this terrible crime onto my husband. I just want to explain what happened,” she said through an interpreter, reports the paper. “Your Honor, my children need me … Give me a chance to resume a normal life.”
Prosecutor Christina Warren reportedly pushed for nearly 13 years of prison time. Warren raised doubts that Karia could be properly supervised outside of prison and receive the care she needs to restore her mental health.
In a court filing, Warren wrote that instead of being the person most able and willing to protect the boy from harm, Karia “left him hanging by a noose around his neck in her basement.”
The defense argued for probation, pointing out that Karia already has served time in jail and lost her child care career.
Article via: Ex-day care owner gets probation for trying to hang toddler
Police probe 1-year-old boy’s apparent beating at day care
INDIANAPOLIS — A 1-year-old Indianapolis boy was apparently attacked at a day care center, leaving his lips, eyes and face horribly swollen and sparking a police investigation.
The boy’s mother, Tiffany Griffin, said she was summoned to the day care Monday afternoon a few hours after dropping her two sons off there and was so outraged by her younger son Jesse’s scratched and bloody face that she punched a day care worker.
Griffin told WXIN-TV that her son was hospitalized for his injuries.
Indianapolis police spokesman Officer Aaron Hamer said Tuesday that detectives are investigating, but that no arrest has been made.
The owner of the Kiddiegarden day care, Haben Ghebremichael, told The Associated Press that a 2-year-old girl had attacked Griffin’s son and that girl had blood on her hands afterwards. While it’s not uncommon for that girl to act out, she said Tuesday that, “the extent of the injuries just blows our minds.”
Ghebremichael said a worker at the day care separated the two children during Monday’s attack but the boy had already been injured by that time. She said her business began receiving harassing phone calls following news reports of the boy’s injury and was closed Tuesday. She said she wasn’t sure when it will reopen.
Ghebremichael said in a prepared statement that her business has never faced any allegations of abuse or maltreatment and it is cooperating fully with police, child protective services and state agencies. “This was truly a sad, shocking and unfortunate event,” she said in an emailed statement. “Our hearts go out to Jesse and his family and are praying for his well-being.”
Kiddiegarden is a licensed day care and was last inspected in October 2017, WXIN-TV reported.
Griffin said she doesn’t believe the 2-year-old girl attacked her son, saying that child “was small and she didn’t look like she was the violent type.”
She said that when she showed a photo of her son’s swollen face to the girl’s mother, that woman “started crying and said her baby wouldn’t do anything like that.”
Griffin said she isn’t sure if she can ever leave her children in someone else’s care again.
“I couldn’t protect him and I was trying to do what’s best for my kids like going to the doctor, taking care of my health and going to school,” she said.
via: https://nypost.com/2018/05/01/police-probe-1-year-old-boys-apparent-beating-at-day-care/
Parents told 13-year-old son he had brain cancer in scheme to raise cash
FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. — Authorities say a Florida couple lied to their 13-year-old son about having brain cancer so they could use his fictitious illness to raise money for nonexistent medical expenses.
The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office says on social media that 34-year-old Ginny Long and 47-year-old Robert Long were arrested Thursday and charged with one count of child abuse and nine counts of fraud.
Detectives say the Longs set up a T-shirt fundraiser for the boy at his school last May and shared the bogus cancer diagnosis on their Facebook accounts. A GoFundMe site was also set up for the boy. The sheriff’s office didn’t say how much money was raised.
The sheriff’s office began investigating in November, after school resource officers began to suspect the boy was being exploited.
Jail records didn’t list attorneys for the Longs.
Colorado teacher accused of assaulting student who wouldn’t stand for the Pledge of Allegiance
A teacher with Colorado’s Boulder Valley School District was placed on paid administrative leave following an alleged incident at the middle school, the school district said Thursday. CBS Denver confirmed the Lafayette Police Department is investigating reports that teacher allegedly assaulted a student who refused to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.
Karen Smith, Angevine’s physical education teacher, was placed on leave Thursday.
The school’s principal, Mike Medina, sent a letter home to parents Thursday evening notifying them there had been an “incident” involving Smith but said he could not elaborate.
The Lafayette Police Department responded to an incident at the school around noon Thursday.
A parent waiting to pick her child up at Angevine Friday afternoon told CBS Denver that her daughter knows Smith as a “strict” teacher but has never had an issue.
Two other parents who spoke to CBS Denver off camera said they believe the story has been “blown out of proportion” and expressed disappointment.
The school is working closely with the Lafayette Police Department on the investigation. For now, it has hired a substitute teacher to take Smith’s place.
No charges have been filed.
Maryland women locked up kids, made them eat dog feces
SALISBURY, Md. — Three children in Maryland were beaten and reportedly locked up and fed on bread and water, oatmeal and sometimes dog feces, authorities said Wednesday.
Amanda R. Wright, 29, and Besline Joseph, 25, both of Mardela Springs, were arrested Wednesday and charged with multiple counts of child abuse involving the children in their custody.
Investigators determined the three victims, ages 8, 9 and 10, lived with Wright and her live-in girlfriend, Joseph.
The investigation has revealed that since late spring or early summer of 2017, the three children endured physical beatings on a number of occasions from both suspects, according to police, and the beatings are believed to have been inflicted with hands, extension cords, belts, sticks and other objects.
The children sustained bloody noses, bruises and cuts, police said. The investigation also revealed Wright and Joseph assaulted the children multiple times with an electronic control device.
Wright and Joseph are charged with three counts each of first-degree child abuse, second-degree child abuse, first-degree assault, second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, neglect of a minor, stalking, use of a dangerous weapon with intent to injure, false imprisonment and one count each of causing ingestion of a bodily fluid, preventing/interfering with report of suspected child abuse or neglect, and conspiracy to commit first degree child abuse.
On Friday, Maryland State Police got information on allegations of child abuse involving the suspects.
The Maryland State Police Criminal Enforcement Division immediately started an investigation, in cooperation with Child Protective Services personnel assigned to the Wicomico Child Advocacy Center, police said.
Based on the allegations, Child Protective Services officials removed the three children from the home the night the investigation began and have asked state police not to release additional details that may identify the children.
Earlier this month, authorities in California discovered 13 siblings being raised in appalling conditions. In that case, officials said David and Louise Turpin, of Perris, Calif., kept their children in filth, chained to furniture and denied them food.
One of the children, age 17, managed to escape and call 911.
In July, authorities removed five children from a home in Accomack County on the Virginia Shore, saying Malista Ness-Hopkins, 39, of Mears was keeping two toddlers in makeshift cages.
All the children were living in filth, with dirty diapers, lice and insect bites, according to social workers and an investigator.
A social worker said one of the children hissed at her and made “animal sounds” as she worked to get the girl out of her cage.
Ness-Hopkins was indicted in October on five counts of child abuse.