3 Edmontonians facing more than 100 charges after ‘significant child abuse,’ police say

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story contains graphic content that some people may find disturbing.

Edmonton police say three people are facing a total of 104 charges in connection to what police are calling a disturbing child and animal abuse investigation.

“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 with 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.”

EPS says the investigation started earlier this month after officers received reports of “significant child abuse” being conducted by a 34-year-old Edmonton father, his 37-year-old common-law partner, and a 25-year-old man who is a member of the family.

Police say the alleged abuse was against the father’s six children and one grandchild, all between the ages of two and 13 years old.

EPS says on Dec. 4, the children attended the Zebra Child and Youth Advocacy Centre where they were interviewed. During the interview, they were able to provide the investigators details of prolonged physical and emotional abuse.

Reports indicate that for years, the children were frequently beaten, strangled, and malnourished.

Police believe the father regularly punished the children by holding them in a physically painful position with their hands and feet on the floor for several hours.

The report also indicates the father allegedly used a shock collar on some of the children.

Police say the father also allegedly beat one of the family’s five dogs with a broom handle and tortured it by poking it with a stick through a kennel cage.

Following the investigation, on Dec. 14, police attended the home and took three adults into custody.

EPS says the father and the common-law partner are facing 45 charges each. Their charges are as follows:

• Aggravated assault;
• Uttering threats;
• Unlawful confinement;
• Assault with a weapon;
• Assault causing bodily harm;
• And animal cruelty offences.

Police note the 25-year-old is facing seven counts of assault with a weapon and seven counts of assault.

Police say they will not be releasing the names of anyone involved in the case to protect the identity of the children, and a publication ban on the names is also in place.

All of the children have been placed in foster care, and the dogs have been removed from the home.