The children, who range in age from 4 months to 12 years old, were burned, bruised, punctured, and shot with a pellet gun, Fairfield Police Lt. Greg Hurlbut said in a press conference Monday.
After conducting extensive interviews with the children over the past six weeks, authorities said they discovered “a long and continuous history of severe physical and emotional abuse of the children,” and arrested the children’s parents, Ina Rogers and Jonathan Allen, on child neglect, torture, and child abuse charges.
On Monday, Allen, 29, was arraigned on seven felony torture charges and nine counts of felony child abuse, according to court records. He’s being held at Solano County jail on a $5.2 million bond and has pleaded not guilty.
“I’m horrified by the statements given by these children,” Chief Deputy District Attorney Sharon Henry said Monday, adding that the kids had been tortured “in this case for sadistic purposes.”
Rogers has been charged with child neglect but was released last month after posting bail. The 30-year-old has ardently denied the charges against her and defended her husband, calling the allegations “appalling” and arguing that “not one of my kids even has a cavity.”
“My husband is an amazing person. I am an amazing mother,” she told reporters from her doorstep Monday. “I am not going to stop fighting.”
Laura Anthony✔@LauraAnthony7
#DEVELOPING Fairfield mother accused of abusing 10 of her 11 biological children calls allegations her husband tortured the kids”appalling.”