Florida Lawyer Normal James Uthmeier says his workplace will search the loss of life penalty for the 2 adults who allegedly confined 4 kids to the cab of a tractor-trailer, some for greater than six years, and sexually abused them.
Keisha Monique Epps, 51, and Tamra Marshon Stewart, 37, have been charged with sexual battery, molestation and neglect of two ladies and two boys — two 5-year-olds, a 6-year-old and a 9-year-old, Uthmeier mentioned.
Epps and Stewart, who has been recognized as her fiancé, had been dwelling within the cab with the youngsters. Epps labored as a truck driver, frequenting a route between Miami and Atlanta, in keeping with court docket paperwork.
“These kids have been trapped in a rolling jail and abused by the adults who have been supposed to guard them,” Uthmeier mentioned.
“We are going to pursue with every thing now we have the loss of life penalty. We are going to search executions, if you wish to are available in right here [in Florida] and also you wish to bodily molest, abuse, and violate our little youngsters.”
Florida regulation permits prosecutors to hunt the loss of life penalty for adults convicted of sexual battery in opposition to a toddler youthful than 12.
The 2 ladies have been sexually abused by Stewart for years, Uthmeier mentioned. When the 2 boys witnessed sexual abuse and confronted Stewart, he “beat them by punching them of their heads,” reviews present.
The kids instructed authorities that they’d instructed Epps concerning the sexual abuse and noticed her witness it. She referred to as one of many kids “derogatory names” and continued to go away them alone with Stewart, reviews present.
Stewart instructed investigators he had dedicated three sexual batteries in opposition to one of many ladies, in keeping with Uthmeier’s workplace.
One of many kids was discovered to have an untreated sexually transmitted an infection, Uthmeier’s workplace mentioned.
However the horrors allegedly went far past sexual abuse.
The couple confined the youngsters within the truck cab with out “time to take showers, use the restroom” or “train exterior,” investigators wrote of their reviews.
“This case is certainly one of, if not probably the most, horrific that my crew has ever needed to work on,” Uthmeier mentioned at a information convention in Kissimmee, Florida, on Sept. 1.
Over time of their imprisonment, the youngsters have been pressured to “use the toilet” in cups and paper baggage, he mentioned. When making stops, “the adults would go to the restroom,” Uthmeier mentioned. “They may take a bathe, however they would go away the children locked on this rolling dungeon.”
“On account of the abuse” over time, he mentioned, the youngsters “endure extreme bodily infirmities.”
The kids have been saved contained in the automobile “for almost all of their days,” court docket information present.
The kids mentioned they hadn’t been “allowed to attend faculty for about 5 years,” in keeping with an arrest report. A detective on the case reported the youngsters have been “strolling with an unnatural gait from being confined to the cab.”
They have been “fed poorly,” they usually by no means obtained medical or dental care—even for emergencies, the report reveals.
Two of the youngsters suffered untreated burns that left vital scarring, in keeping with Uthmeier’s workplace.
One of many ladies recalled a time she “burned herself badly with cooked noodles.”
“There was lots of blood,” the lady instructed investigators.
Neither Stewart nor Epps took her to get medical remedy, she instructed investigators. Now, she has a “everlasting scar” from the burn, court docket information present.
Stewart was accountable for supervising the youngsters when Epps was sleeping, showering and driving the truck, the youngsters mentioned.
All 4 shared a bunk within the cab so small that they needed to lie “curled up aspect by aspect,” reviews present.
Stewart is charged with “two counts of sexual battery by an individual in familial or custodial authority, two counts of lewd or lascivious molestation of a kid beneath 12, two counts of battery of a kid by expelling sure fluids or supplies, two counts of kid neglect with out nice bodily hurt, and two counts of kid neglect inflicting everlasting disfigurement,” in keeping with Uthmeier’s workplace.
Epps is charged with “two counts of sexual battery by an individual in familial or custodial authority, two counts of lewd or lascivious molestation of a kid beneath 12, two counts of kid neglect with out nice bodily hurt, two counts of kid neglect inflicting everlasting disfigurement, and 4 counts of failure to report little one abuse.”
Epps and Stewart have been arrested on Aug. 6. On Sept. 3, each have been held within the Duval County Jail.
The Duval County Workplace of the Public Defender is representing Stewart, and Epps is represented by Florida’s Workplace of Felony Battle and Civil Regional Counsel.
Neither workplace responded to a request for remark earlier than publication.
