A Maryland woman and her live-in girlfriend were arrested and charged with child abuse of three minors that lived with them.
Police arrested 29-year-old Amanda R. Wright and 25-year-old Besline Joseph Wednesday morning.
According to Maryland State Police, the two women were physically abusing and torturing the three children ages 8, 9 and 10. The two women would beat the children leaving them with bloody noses, bruises, and cuts to their body.
"These three victims were abused with a variety of implements: Electrical cords, the suspects hands, with beatings from belts, sticks other objects," Maryland State Police spokesperson Greg Shipley said.
It was reported that the children were only fed bread, water, oatmeal, and were forced to eat dog feces.
But police said it didn't stop there.
"They also used an electronic control device, a stun gun to abuse them," Shipley said.
Investigators said children were locked up or confined.
"The children were held in confinement in closest or in the basement," Shipley said.
Police said the women threatened the children with death if they told anyone about the abuse.
Detectives aren't saying if the women and children are family to protect the children's identities.
"The information is such that describes very severe child abuse that was occurring in the home from as far back as May or June of last year," Shipley said.
Child protective services removed the children last week.
Wright and Joseph have been charged with three counts each of first degree child abuse, second degree child abuse, first degree assault, second degree assault, reckless endangerment, neglect of a minor, stalking, use of a dangerous weapon with intent to injure, false imprisonment and one count each of causing ingestion of a bodily fluid, preventing/interfering with report of suspected child abuse or neglect, and conspiracy to commit first degree child abuse.
