Maryland State Police have arrested a woman and her girlfriend for allegedly beating three young children in their care and force-feeding them dog feces.
A Wednesday news release says investigators determined the victims lived with 29-year-old Amanda Wright and her partner, 25-year-old Besline Joseph, in Mardela Springs.
Police say the victims were reportedly fed a diet of bread, water, oatmeal, and at times forced to eat dog waste.
An investigation revealed the children, ages eight, nine, and 10, also endured physical beatings, were assaulted with an electronic control device similar to a stun gun and that they were reportedly locked in closets and a basement.
Couple charged: Amanda Wright, 29 (left), and her live-in-girlfriend Besline Joseph, 25 (right), have been charged with multiple counts of child abuse involving three children in their care
House of horrors: Maryland State Police raised the couple’s home in Mardela Springs on January 26 and all three children were removed from the household
State Police launched an investigation into the couple on January 26 after receiving a tip about allegations of child abuse in Wright and Joseph’s household.
Based on the allegations, Child Protective Services officials removed the three children from the couple’s home in the 11000 block of Norris Twilley Road, Mardela Springs.
According to State Police, since late spring or early summer of 2017, the three children in the women’s care endured beatings on multiple occasions from both Joseph and Wright, who used their hands, extension cords, belts, sticks and other objects to inflict pain on the children.
‘The children sustained bloody noses, bruises and cuts,’ the press release stated.
Investigators have learned the children were reportedly locked in closets and a basement for most of the time, and they were said to have been threatened with death if they told anyone about the abuse.
The two women were arrested at their Wicomico County home on Wednesday following a search of the residence, which reportedly turned up a stun gun-like device and other corroborating evidence.
A search of the residence (picture) reportedly turned up a stun gun-like device allegely used to inflict pain on the victims
Wright and Joseph were 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.
Police are not releasing information on the nature of the suspects’ relationship with the victims to protect the children’s privacy.
This case comes less than three weeks after authorities in California rescued 13 children from the filthy home of their parents, Louise and David Turpin, who are accused of starving the siblings and keeping them chained to their beds.