Three people in Edmonton are facing 104 charges related to a child and animal abuse investigation.
“Without question, this is one of the most disturbing cases of child abuse that our Child Protection investigators have ever seen,” says staff sergeant Ryan Tebb with the EPS Child Protection Section. “These children have been subjected to years of physical and emotional pain, dysfunction that no child should have to deal with in their lives.”
On December 1, EPS Child Protection members started to investigate reports of child abuse being perpetrated by a 34-year-old Edmonton father, his 37-year-old common-law partner, and a 25-year-old male family member. The abuse was being committed against the father’s six children and one grandchild ranging in age between two and 13.
The children were removed from the home the same day the investigation began.
On December 4, the children attended the Zebra Child and Youth Advocacy Centre where they were interviewed, which gave investigators details about the prolonged physical and emotional abuse.
According to police, it was reported that the children were frequently beaten, strangled, and malnourished for years. It’s also alleged that the father regularly subjected the children to punishments where they would be forced to hold a painful position with their hands and feet on the floor for several hours.
The accused father also used a shock collar on the children and regularly beat the family’s five dogs with a broom handle.
On December 14, police arrested the three adults, with the father and common law partner sharing 45 charges each, which include:
- Aggravated assault
- Uttering threats
- Unlawful confinement
- Assault with a weapon
- Assault causing bodily harm
- Animal cruelty offences
The other adult male family member is facing charges of:
- Assault with a weapon (x7)
- Assault (x7).
The names of the three accused are not being released to protect the identities of the children, who are now safe and placed in foster care. The dogs have also been removed from the home.
