Benito Gutierrez, 69, and Carol Gutierrez, 64 were arrested on Tuesday for alleged child abuse after authorities discovered their four kids living in horrible conditions. (Pima County Sheriff's Department)
A Tucson, Ariz., couple was arrested Tuesday after authorities discovered their four adopted children living in horrific conditions, with no access to food or water for hours on end, police said.
Benito Gutierrez, 69, and Carol Gutierrez, 64, face three counts of child abuse, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said, according to Tucson News Now. The children were between 6 and 12 years old.
Authorities began the investigation last week after one of the kids escaped through a bedroom window and made his way to a nearby store. A worker there called 911 due to the child’s age and condition, the paper reported, citing a news release from the department.
"The children were kept in separate bedrooms, which were locked from the outside," authorities said in a statement. "(They had) no access to food, water, lights or bathroom facilities for up to 12 hours at a time on a regular basis."
The children in the Tucson home used a bucket in one of the rooms as a toilet, according to police. They have been removed from the home.
Last month, a California couple was arrested after one of their children jumped through a window and called 911 to report similar allegations. Police found David and Louise Turpin’s 13 children in their home – ranging in age from 2 to 29 -- malnourished and dirty, with some shackled to their beds.
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