Delaware couple accused of child abuse and torture facing 646 charges

KENT COUNTY, Del. — A man and woman in Delaware are facing a list of charges including child abuse and attempted strangulation after state investigators say they abused their children.

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The Delaware Department of Justice announced the indictments against Mary Vinson and Charles Vinson in a news release. The Vinsons are accused of abusing their children over a period of 20 months, withholding food, force-feeding them and physically assaulting them, officials sad in the news release.

“These are the cases that keep us up at night,” Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings said in a statement. “The evidence in this case is disturbing and my prayers are with the victims who, thank God, are somewhere safe. We will seek swift and complete justice against the accused; nothing matters more than protecting our kids.”

Prosecutors said that their evidence includes video of the abuse from cameras that the parents placed in the children’s room.

The charges against Charles Vinson include six counts of first-degree child abuse, 12 counts of conspiracy, nine counts of endangering the welfare of a minor and two counts of kidnapping.

Mary Vinson has been charged with seven counts of first-degree child abuse, 225 counts of third-degree child abuse, seven counts of strangulation and 244 counts of endangering the welfare of a child.

If convicted of all charges, Mary Vinson faces up to 1,150 years in prison, while Charles Vinson faces a maximum of more than 270 years, WBOC reported.

Prosecutors said that the children were hospitalized several times due to the severity of the abuse, and have since been transferred to the custody of the Division of Family Services.

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