M. Martyr
Serial Child Abuse Case
A couple in Delaware, aged 36 and 45, confessed this week to committing a series of heinous acts involving the torture and abuse of their two children over a period of almost two years.
According to authorities, Mary Vinson and Charles Vinson have admitted guilt to over 50 serious criminal charges related to the cruel mistreatment of children. As a result, they could potentially be sentenced to a collective prison term exceeding 500 years. One child endured abuse between the ages of 11 and 13, while the other suffered from ages 10 to 11.
Mary Vinson, the stepmother of the boys, entered a plea for 42 felony charges. These charges include six counts of first-degree child abuse, two counts of kidnapping, four counts of strangulation, and two counts of conspiracy, among other offences. On the other hand, Charles Vinson, who is the biological father of the boys, pleaded guilty to 12 felonies. His charges consist of three counts of first-degree child abuse, two counts of kidnapping, two counts of intimidation and one count of second-degree assault.
“These Are The Cases That Keep Us Up At Night”
“These are the cases that keep us up at night,” Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings said in a statement after the plea hearing. “The pain that these children endured — and that it was inflicted by people who should have been their protectors — is unthinkable. Thanks to the efforts of our prosecutors and of our partners in law enforcement, these abusers will be in prison for years to come. Their victims are safe now — but I also know that they have a long road of healing ahead of them. They are in all of our hearts today.”
In January, the husband and wife will receive their sentences in Kent County Superior Court. Mary Vinson could potentially be imprisoned for a period ranging from 30 to 444 years, while her husband may face imprisonment for a duration between 10 and 158 years.
According to a press release from the AG’s office, the Vinsons heartlessly abused the two children in their Houston-area home over 20 months. It is about 65 miles south of Wilmington, Delaware. Prosecutors previously categorized their actions as “serial child abuse and torture.”
The abuse included making the children stand in place for extended periods, withholding food, force-feeding, and physical assaults.
Authorities previously said the parents regularly punched and kicked the kids in the face, often making one of the boys watch their sibling being hurt. The parents captured many of the attacks on video by the parents.
Both children were hospitalized several times over the past two years “due to the severity of the abuse,” much of which was caught on video by cameras that the parents had installed in the kids’ rooms, authorities said.
According to court documents, prosecutors stated that from March 2021 to March 2022, the children were hospitalized six times due to physical assaults committed by Mary and Charles Vinson. Additionally, in April 2021, both of their children were admitted to the hospital on the same day.
The Vinsons deceived medical professionals and doctors by giving them inaccurate information about the children’s condition when they needed medical care. Additionally, they lied to investigators who were examining claims of abuse against them.
