Two adoptive parents are facing child abuse charges after investigators say they kept children in separate bedrooms that were locked from the outside.
The Pima County Sheriff's Department says Benito Gutierrez, 69, and Carol Gutierrez, 64, were arrested on three counts of child abuse each and were booked into the jail on Tuesday.
Bond has been set for both Benito and Carol at $25,000 each. The judge also set terms to their bond that both are to not have contact with the victims or minors.
According to a news release from PCSD, deputies found four children in the home.
This is the home where the 4 adoptive kids lived. More tonight on @kgun9 pic.twitter.com/KnjhCJA54e
— Jennifer Martinez (@Jennymartineztv) February 21, 2018
Investigators say the children are between the ages of 6 and 12 and did not have access to food, water, or the bathroom for up to twelve hours at a time on a regular basis. The house seemed to be in good condition when officials entered, but the bedroom s were not. One bedroom had a bucket for a toilet, deputies say.
On Saturday PCSD says one of the children escaped from the home through a bedroom window. The agency responded to the 4100 block of North Flowing Wells Road regarding suspicious activity involving a child.
According to PCSD, the children went to the nurse's office at school to complain they were hungry. The staff did ask questions but never found that there was anything suspicious. On school days, the kids were given breakfast and lunch at school.
The children were locked in separate bedrooms from the outside. Minimum of 12 hours a day.
- only mattresses on the floor
- no lightIf kids had to use the bathroom they had to pound on the door.
— Jennifer Martinez (@Jennymartineztv) February 21, 2018
The kids were exposed to these conditions at such a young age, they thought it was normal. According to PCSD, the oldest was two years old when he was adopted. The two youngest weren't born yet.
The four children are related to each other, but not related to the couple who adopted them.
Below is more from the PCSD release:
When deputies arrived, they discovered a male child had asked to use the phone at a Family Dollar store in the area. The clerk, noting the age and disheveled condition of the child, called 911.
The children were removed from the home immediately and the Department of Child Safety is involved. The investigation is ongoing.
Benito and Carol Guitierrez are expected to be back in court March 5, 2018.
