Mary Heath and her live-in boyfriend, Sekoa Aiono, were arrested on suspicion of second-degree felony child abuse neglect. Aiono told police they beat the children with a leather belt, let them go hungry and frequently locked them in the bathroom, where they were also forced to sleep.
A 9-year-old girl, 6-year-old boy and 4-year-old girl were taken into protective custody after the oldest girl escaped from a locked bathroom in the house. She had climbed out of a window and fell 12 feet to the ground to get out of the house. Someone saw the nude, bruised child and called police.
The boy was near death when police found him, and was "still struggling" in a hospital. The youngest girl had not apparently been abused, though she also was taken into custody.
Heath became their legal guardian about a year ago.
To become a legal guardian, family members must go through the same legal process as any other foster parent, which includes qualification like background checks and home inspections, said Division of Child and Family Services spokeswoman Liz Sollis.
A Utah court records check shows no criminal background for either Heath or Aiono.
Full Article and Source:
Mother of malnourished children found
See also:
Eagle Mtn. caretakers charged with sexual abuse
E.M. couple each face 10 counts of abuse charges
Child abuse suspects now accused of sexual abuse
Charges filed against couple accused of abusing 2 children
A 9-year-old girl, 6-year-old boy and 4-year-old girl were taken into protective custody after the oldest girl escaped from a locked bathroom in the house. She had climbed out of a window and fell 12 feet to the ground to get out of the house. Someone saw the nude, bruised child and called police.
The boy was near death when police found him, and was "still struggling" in a hospital. The youngest girl had not apparently been abused, though she also was taken into custody.
Heath became their legal guardian about a year ago.
To become a legal guardian, family members must go through the same legal process as any other foster parent, which includes qualification like background checks and home inspections, said Division of Child and Family Services spokeswoman Liz Sollis.
A Utah court records check shows no criminal background for either Heath or Aiono.
Full Article and Source:
Mother of malnourished children found
See also:
Eagle Mtn. caretakers charged with sexual abuse
E.M. couple each face 10 counts of abuse charges
Child abuse suspects now accused of sexual abuse
Charges filed against couple accused of abusing 2 children
3 comments:
Outrageous that the children were not known as missing or unaccounted for. The "guardian" should be committed to a mental institution after she gets out of jail!
Where was the court while these children were being abused?
As usual - not monitoring the legal guardians!
Perhaps they should just change the term "guardian" to "abuser".
This is heartwrenching.
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