Steubenville, OH – James and Samantha Taylor were arrested for reportedly “stuffing” their children into storage bins and then taping the lids shut. The young couple also stood accused of forcing their three children to stand on pins as punishment. The Ohio couple pleaded guilty to child endangerment and unlawful restraint on Tuesday.
James, 29, and Samantha, 26, reportedly used duct tape to restrain their children in the plastic storage boxes, the Daily Mail notes. The children range in age from five to eight years old, WTOV 9 News reports. Samantha and James Taylor reportedly kept the children inside the storage bins for 15 to 30 minutes as a time.
A square cut out of the top of the plastic bins exposed part of the child’s face when inside. Water was poured onto the children while they were inside the plastic storage bins. Court records also indicate that the Steubenville couple also dropped weights on the toes of their children and made them stand on their tiptoes with pins placed beneath their feet.
Two of the children’s uncles were also indicted on related charges. Glenn Adams and Daniel McKenney pleaded guilty to crimes related to a failure to stop the abuse. Jefferson County Assistant Prosecutor Jeff Bruzzese noted the men will likely be placed on probation.
Bruzzese also had this to say about the Steubenville child abuse case:
“You can see in one of these photographs, there is water in the bottom of the totes. It was apparent that water was dumped on top of these children while they were inside and restrained in these totes. It was clear that these types of punishments were done at Taylor’s direction and at his order. It certainly was repulsive that she [Samantha] allowed these things to go on.”
Law enforcement officers became involved in the Ohio child abuse case when a family friend accidentally saw the children inside the storage boxes last year. James Taylor will serve one year behind bars for his crimes. Samantha Taylor will serve two years of probation. The children are now in the custody of other relatives.
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