New Details in Abuse Case of Shackled Teen

This is a rush transcript from "On the Record ," December 4, 2008. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, FOX NEWS HOST: There is new information tonight about a 16-year-old boy allegedly held captive in the house of torture.

One of the three suspects arrested in the case has just given a jailhouse interview describing how she and others abused the 16-year-old. That woman and her husband appeared today in court.

Joining us live is Henry Lee, reporter for "The San Francisco Chronicle."

Henry, good evening, and what did she say in this interview?

HENRY LEE, "SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE": She [Kelly Lau] basically said that she agreed to abuse this 16-year-old boy, and we now know he is 16, currently, Greta, simply because she thought this house guest, for lack of a better term, would harm her own biological children if she did not engage in the abuse.

So she told a TV station that Caren Ramirez told her you need to discipline him in the same way I do. I, Caren Ramirez, can only feed this boy.

So an unimaginable scenario where we have this little boy, this poor 16-year-old, not being able to eat at the dinner table with the rest of the family.

So today the couple was charged with multiple felonies, including torture, false imprisonment. It could bring a life sentence, Greta.

VAN SUSTEREN: So Schumacher is sitting in jail. She makes this statement, which has to be one of the worst. What a reprehensible thing for her to do, and I assume that no one in the audience disagrees with that, saying that she agreed to abuse.

Now, have we figured out what Caren Ramirez's relationship is to this 16-year-old?

LEE: Initially the police told us that Ramirez is the aunt of the boy, but now we are learning that there is definitely no blood relationship. She simply regarded herself as his aunt. But there is no relationship, and we believe the couple just simply took Ramirez and the boy into their home in Tracy.

VAN SUSTEREN: What is the motive to abuse this child, this 16-year-old? Was it supposedly a disciplinary thing? Was it just because they are coral? What is their motive?

LEE: We do not know exactly what their motive is, Greta. Suffice it to say nothing can explain this kind of abuse heaped on a 16 year old boy. We do know that when the boy made good his escape, he was in fear for his life. He thought that the people would be coming after him.

We do know from the complaint that I reviewed today, a very long 13-count complaint, that all three used a belt, a bat, and other items to allegedly abuse this boy.

So a very terrible case. He is now in protective custody, as are the four children belonging to the couple.

Watch Greta's interview

VAN SUSTEREN: It's interesting. I'm trying to think which one is the most despicable, and it seems like there's a three-way tie with this three adults. Now, Caren Ramirez, the supposed aunt, she previously had been charged with abusing this young man, right?

LEE: That's right. She pleaded no-contest last year to abusing the same boy. And the boy had told police she used a spatula, a clothes hanger, and other implements to harm him.

And now it is even getting worse. This Caren Ramirez allegedly pointing to Kelly, used an aluminum bat, put in the fireplace, and burned him on purpose. For what reasons we do not know, but certainly despicable, callous.

VAN SUSTEREN: It is hard to believe you could find three people in one place that could be so despicable. You hear these stories about one person, but here we have three people that participated in this, supposedly. We still have more to learn.

We only have about 20 seconds left. They are in court on Monday again?

LEE: All three will be back in court. Caren Ramirez was not in court today. What is interesting is that both Caren Ramirez and Kelly reportedly were in previously abusive relationships. And we see a lot of cases where the abusees become the abusers, Greta.

VAN SUSTEREN: No excuse. Anyway, Henry, thank you.

LEE: Thank you.

Content and Programming Copyright 2008 FOX News Network, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Transcription Copyright 2008 ASC LLC (www.ascllc.net), which takes sole responsibility for the accuracy of the transcription. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No license is granted to the user of this material except for the user's personal or internal use and, in such case, only one copy may be printed, nor shall user use any material for commercial purposes or in any fashion that may infringe upon FOX News Network, LLC'S and ASC LLC's copyrights or other proprietary rights or interests in the material. This is not a legal transcript for purposes of litigation.