Six children were allegedly tortured by their foster parents and another adult at a Victorville home, with some of the abuse going back at least a decade, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.
Authorities arrested Kenneth and Tina Key, both 60 years old, and their daughter Katlynn Key, 23, on Monday in connection to the alleged abuse. The foster children at the home ranged in age from 5 to 16, department officials said in a news release.
Investigators with the Sheriff’s Department’s Crimes Against Children unit launched their investigation on Feb. 13, looking into reports of severe and prolonged abuse at a home in Victorville. The children were taken out of the home shortly after the investigation began, sheriff’s spokesperson Gloria Orejel said.
All three suspects were arrested on suspicion of torture and are being held in lieu of $1 million bail. They are due to appear in court on Wednesday and have not been formally charged by the San Bernardino County district attorney’s office, but authorities expect charges to be filed before the end of the day.
There were no additional details about the alleged torture, Orejel said, and there were no reports of abuse prior to the start of the investigation. Some of the alleged abuse may have been going on since the children were first placed into the Keys’ home, going back at least 10 years, according to Orejel.
Anyone with information about the case can contact Detective Katie Merrill of the Specialized Investigations Division at (909) 890-4904. Anonymous tips can be made with the We-Tip Hotline at (800) 78-CRIME (27463) or at www.wetip.com.
