Authorities in Florida have taken two parents into custody on child abuse charges. A father is accused of physically assaulting a minor, while the mother allegedly did not step in or report the incident.
On Monday, Dec. 16, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office revealed the investigation and subsequent arrests of a Kissimmee couple — named Lance Eugene Rachel and Kimberly Corene Rachel — following reports of alleged abuse to law enforcement and the Florida Department of Children and Families.
The child’s age and identity remain undisclosed. The Sheriff’s Office reported that the incident occurred at the family’s residence on December 7.
“The suspect was angry about a couch cushion being displaced and accused the victim of lying,” the sheriff’s office alleged. “The suspect maliciously punished the child by screaming obscenities and physically abusing the victim over the course of 28 minutes.”
A recent press release states that the child was reportedly “struck over 50 times with a belt,” and “also choked and subjected to several disparaging names and other obscenities.”
The Sheriff’s Office reported that Lance reportedly continued to assault the child while making threats to break the victim’s jaw.
“Some of the incident was captured on in-home surveillance cameras,” the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office said, adding that the father allegedly confirmed the abuse when detectives questioned him on Monday.
The Sheriff’s Office reported that Kimberly was taken into custody for not reporting the known child abuse.
Lance faces charges of aggravated child abuse and battery by strangulation, according to online records from the Osceola County Corrections and Jail.
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A video released by the sheriff’s office shows Lance and Kimberly being led away from a property in handcuffs.