Three family members in California have been charged with torture in connection with the alleged abuse of six children who were in their care, prosecutors said Wednesday.
Kenneth Michael Key, 60, Tina Marie Sheffield Key, 60, and their daughter Kaitlynn Marresa Key, 23, were arrested Monday and later charged with six felony counts of torture and one count of child abuse under circumstances likely to cause great bodily injury or death, according to the an Bernardino County District Attorney's Office. Prosecutors also filed a special allegation of personal infliction of great bodily injury in the case.
MORE: Baby spider monkey and 2 rattlesnakes discovered during California meth bustThe investigation that led to the arrests was launched after authorities received a tip from a caller to a child abuse hotline, officials said.
“After an extensive investigation conducted by San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Crimes Against Children Unit, and Loma Linda University Medical Center Children’s Assessment Center, it is alleged that Kenneth and Tina Key, and their adult daughter subjected all six children (aged four – sixteen), to years of physical, emotional, and mental abuse,” officials said. “The abuse included daily beatings, strangulation to the point of unconsciousness, and punishments of withholding food and water from the children for a period of days.”
MORE: Funeral director trashed over 6,500 bodies of pets, used fake ashes to defraud customers out of $650,000: OfficialsProsecutors did not detail how long authorities think the alleged abused had been going on for, though officials did say that the children involved in this case were in guardianship care.
The co-defendants will be arraigned on Thursday via video at the Rancho Cucamonga Superior Courthouse in California.
The investigation is currently ongoing.