California foster children kept journals of strangulation, other abuse, DA says

For years San Bernardino County District Attorney Jason Anderson stated six foster children in the Victorville home of Kenneth and Tina Key suffered from physical and emotional abuse Eventually one day in February the eldest left the home and went to a grocery store where she eventually contacted law enforcement Anderson reported a Southern California News Group reporter on Wednesday May The -year-old s bravery triggered an scrutiny that Anderson explained revealed that the Keys and their adult daughter had subjected the children they were supposed to protect to strangulation daily beatings and starvation Related Articles California family accused of years-long torture of foster children California kids were taken from their parents for their own safety Then county social workers abused them they say Santa Clara sex offender gets nearly years for child enticement Men hit with federal charges after East Bay child exploitation stings East Bay grandpa charged with felonies over -year-old boy accidentally killing himself A few of the children had been taped down and a few had gone days without food or water Anderson also disclosed And several of the children ages to recorded the abuse in journals and with photographs Anderson commented Fortunately one of the children had the courage to review it saving the younger children from continued years of abuse Anderson reported Kenneth and Tina Key both and daughter Katlynn Key were arrested Monday and were charged Wednesday with six counts of torture one for each alleged victim and one count of child abuse under circumstances likely to cause great bodily injury or death They are scheduled to enter pleas via video on Thursday in Superior Court in Rancho Cucamonga Court records do not list attorneys who could speak for any of the three They each are being held in lieu of million bail The District Attorney s Office has filed a motion to increase bail The oldest of the children had lived at the Helena Drive home for years and the youngest for three to eight years The children were removed when the inspection began on Feb Social workers who are supposed to regularly visit foster homes were unable to uncover any of the years-long abuse or were unable to substantiate any assertions the children might have made Messages to San Bernardino County Children and Family Services which oversees foster homes in the county and works with foster family agencies to place children were not returned Tuesday and Wednesday There is specific indication that when there were visits by social workers the kids were reported to go on script Anderson disclosed Experts on investigations into child abuse say confirming such crimes can be formidable because of a reluctance of children and their abusers to tell the truth The Victorville children have received soundness exams and will receive additional screenings for physical and cognitive problems Anderson explained He noted that doctors have uncovered certain scarring The effects of the abuse Anderson mentioned were not as severe as those suffered by of the children of David and Louise Turpin in their Perris home Specific of those children appeared years younger than their actual ages and their cognitive increase was delayed because of malnutrition Their coaching had amounted to little more than a first-grade level because of the sham homeschool operated by their father The Turpin parents were sentenced to years to life in prison after being convicted The subsequent foster parents of six of the Turpins were also convicted of abuse The Key foster children meanwhile attended school outside of the home Anderson declared Anderson declined to discuss a feasible motive