Couple Abused Adopted Children By Starving Them, Denying Bathroom Access

A couple in Tucson, Arizona, is facing child abuse charges for keeping four adoptive kids deprived of food, water and access to the bathroom.

According to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, Benito Gutierrez, 69, and Carol Gutierrez, 64, face three counts of child abuse, for forcing their adopted children, aged between six and 12 to live in deplorable living conditions.

"The children were kept in separate bedrooms, which were locked from the outside," authorities said in a statement, Fox News reported. The children had "no access to food, water, lights or bathroom facilities for up to 12 hours at a time on a regular basis."

Due to the lack of a washroom, the children were forced to use a bucket placed in one of the corners of the room when they wanted to visit the toilet.

The couple was arrested after one of the children jumped out of a bedroom window and escaped from the house located in the 4100 block of North Flowing Wells Road, Arizona, on Feb. 17. The kid ran to a nearby store and requested to use the phone. Upon noticing the young age of the child, who was not accompanied by an adult, the store clerk dialed 911.

On raiding the couples’ house, the police discovered three more children in their respective rooms, which were locked from the outside.

The children have since been removed from the house. It is not immediately clear if the children were related to each other and for how long they were under the care of the abusive couple.

In a similar instance, a California couple — David Turpin, 57, and his wife, Louise Turpin, 49 — was arrested last month after the police found out they shackled thirteen adopted children to their beds inside their house and allowed to them to shower once a year.

The couple, who was charged with multiple felony counts of child abuse, torture, and false imprisonment, also starved, and physically tortured their children.

“I always even said I think those children are very book smart, but I was worried because they were home-schooled," Teresa Robinette, Louise’s sister, said, NBC News reported. "Because they didn’t hold a conversation well, I was always concerned that they weren’t going to be socially developed."

The couple was arrested when their 17-year-old daughter escaped through a window and called 911. The children, aged between two and 29 years — were found malnourished and dirty inside the house.

Gale Kelley, a trainer for the International Association of Trauma Professionals, said children in these cases often are not aware of the fact that they have been abused.

“They were born into this. This was normal for them. Some of them may not even realize they’ve been abused,” she said, Mercury News reported. “These children have been living in isolation so they only know what they know."