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Authorities in Pennsylvania apprehended a mother and her boyfriend on Friday following a troubling investigation into their household. Allegations have surfaced that children residing in their home were subjected to physical abuse involving a belt, and that firearms were used both to intimidate and harm them.
Maria Roche, aged 31, faces charges including aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of a child, and simple assault, according to statements from the Harrisburg Police Department. Her boyfriend, 41-year-old William Witherspoon, has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child.
The investigation commenced on February 24 after Dauphin County Children and Youth Services (CYS) notified the police, prompted by a report from a 12-year-old child, as detailed by WPMT. Earlier, on February 17, a CYS caseworker had visited the home, during which Roche acknowledged the presence of firearms in the residence.
Subsequent interviews conducted by CYS a month later revealed disturbing accounts from two of the children. One child described a chilling pattern of discipline where Roche allegedly forced them to choose between “the gun or the belt.”
One of the children recounted a harrowing incident where Roche purportedly fired a gunshot at a sibling’s head, narrowly missing. The child also mentioned that Roche instructed another child to fetch her gun prior to the shooting.
Witherspoon, the victims said, knew all about the incidents and laughed whenever they happened.
One of the victims said that Roche stores her guns under the bed and that she (the victim) once tried to secretly unload the gun but couldn’t do it.
another victim told investigators that Roche once put the barrel of a gun between the eyes of one of the siblings.
One of the victims told investigators he was struck by a belt on his back, arms, and neck, and described the belt to police.
Roche and Witherspoon, who are native born Pennsylvanians, are being held aon $10,000 bails with preliminary hearings scheduled for April 8.