A U.S. couple accused of tormenting their adopted Russian children will be going to trial, fox6now.com news portal said on Saturday.
Court papers say Kathleen and Martin O’Brien, both 49, had been abusing their three adopted kids over several years. The abuses date back to 2004 and as recently as 2011. During their preliminary hearing on Friday, a judge ruled there was enough evidence to bind the O’Briens over for trial. The couple faces 17 counts of child abuse against their adopted kids.
The adopted children range in age from 9 to 17. Kathleen and Martin O’Brien also have two biological sons.
According to a police report, one of the adopted children said they were held down by Martin O'Brien and his son while Kathleen "proceeded to kick the child in the groin," and later "sprayed pepper spray" in the child's face, wisn.com news site said.
The report also said the couple forced the six children to "stand naked on an enclosed porch and watch the O'Briens and their biological children eat dinner," about three or four times a year.
The children told a social worker last year that "all the adopted children were locked in a bedroom... for four to five days... let out three times a day to use the bathroom," according to the report.
Investigators said the children were forced to kneel on sharp rocks in a dog pen for six to seven hours at a time.
The couple allegedly told the children the acts were punishments, according to the report.
