Edmonton Police say it’s most ‘disturbing’ child and animal abuse investigation
Edmonton police have arrested three people in what they described as the most “disturbing” case of child and animal abuse. They say the children were frequently beaten, strangled and malnourished for years and one of the family’s dogs was tortured.
The Edmonton Police Service (EPS) has arrested and charged a southeast Edmonton couple and a third adult male family member with a total of 104 charges in connection to allegations surrounding years of physical and emotional abuse of their children and family pets.
“Without question, this is one of the most disturbing cases of child abuse that our Child Protection investigators have ever seen,” said Staff Sgt. Ryan Tebb, of 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 Dec. 1, EPS Child Protection members began investigating reports of significant 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 against the father’s six children and one grandchild ranging in ages between two and 13. The children were removed from the home the same day.
On Dec. 4, the children attended the Zebra Child and Youth Advocacy Centre where they were interviewed, providing investigators with details surrounding prolonged physical and emotional abuse.
It was reported to police that the children were frequently beaten, strangled and malnourished for years. It is alleged that the accused father regularly subjected the children to punishments whereby they were forced to hold a painful physical position with their hands and feet on the floor for several hours.
The accused father also used a shock collar to assault some of the children. The father also reportedly beat one of the family’s five dogs frequently with a broom handle and tortured it by poking it with a stick through the kennel cage.
On Dec. 14, police attended the family’s south-side residence and arrested the three adults. The accused father and female common law partner are each facing 45 charges each of aggravated assault, uttering threats, unlawful confinement, assault with a weapon, assault causing bodily harm and animal cruelty offences. The other adult male family member is facing seven charges each of assault with a weapon and assault.
The names of the three accused are not being released to protect the identity of the children. A publication ban is also in place. The children are now safe and have been placed in foster care. The dogs have also since been removed from the home.
The Zebra Child & Youth Advocacy Centre serves children and youth who have experienced abuse, supporting them through the investigative, justice and healing process with a continuum of multi-disciplinary resources. To learn more about the Zebra Centre please visit zebracentre.ca.
