Florida couple faces 49 criminal charges in 'torture' case involving 5-year-old child, sheriff says: 'Scumbag abusers'

Florida police have levied nearly 50 criminal charges against a couple they allege repeatedly abused and facilitated the abuse of multiple children.

What is the background?

As TheBlaze reported, police arrested 32-year-old Shawn Stone on May 9 after his girlfriend, Taylor Schaefer, told police that Stone had abused her children.

In one incident, Stone allegedly beat Schaefer's 5-year-old son for wetting the bed, leaving the child with a skull fracture. The incident was purportedly captured on home surveillance footage. At the time, Stone was charged with aggravated child abuse.

What is happening now?

The Volusia County Sheriff's Office announced on Saturday that charges are now being filed against Schaefer on allegations that she repeatedly witnessed child abuse but failed to report it.

In fact, Schaefer is facing 25 criminal charges while Stone is facing 23 new charges, authorities said.

According to the Daytona Beach News Journal:

Jail records show Stone is facing eight counts of neglect of a child causing great bodily harm; five counts of aggravated child abuse; four counts of neglect of a child; three counts of failing to report suspected child abuse; two counts of false imprisonment of a child under 13; and two counts of tampering with a witness in a life felony proceeding.

In a statement, the Volusia County Sheriff's Office said Schaefer faces "similar charges after detectives determined she was aware of the abuse, witnessed it and continually failed to intervene or report it."

The allegations are horrendous.

Police allege that Schaefer witnessed the abuse, failed to intervene, and failed to provide her children medical attention.

Prior to the beating incident that left the 5-year-old with a skull fracture, police allege that Stone had bound the child's hands behind his back for nearly a whole day. Police said it was not the first time that Stone had bound the child.

"[C]ameras also recorded instances of Stone yelling at and kicking the already visibly bruised and injured victim, with Schaefer also entering the picture and telling the victim to stand up straight," police explained. "Other footage recorded during beatings indicated that the sounds of the abuse could be heard throughout the house."

That one incident left the child with nearly 50 visible injuries.

But it gets worse.

The 5-year-old child, police allege, had been "tied up and placed in a dog cage and often punished via deprivation of food." A second child, meanwhile, "was forced to drink boiling water, sprayed with boiling water, and beaten with several household objects."

"Evidence was also obtained that a third child victim in the house was not receiving the proper nutrition or care for a serious medical condition, and was also witnessing the constant abuse," police explained.

Stone remains in jail from his arrest last month. Schaefer was taken into custody on Sunday in a neighboring county, Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said.

"The torture these kids endured is hard to imagine. The good news is they're in safe hands now, and their scumbag abusers will have to answer for what they did," Chitwood said on Facebook.

Deputies: Volusia County couple facing several charges for 'brutal pattern of child neglect, abuse'www.youtube.com

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