A pair in Pennsylvania was hit with expenses together with conspiracy to commit third-degree homicide and aggravated assault after authorities found they’d inflicted “a number of forms of abuse” on their three kids, particularly their malnourished twin boys.
Joshua Dechant, 36, and Tracy Dechant, 42, allegedly mistreated the twins so heinously that they have been almost 100 kilos underweight.
An investigation into the Dechant household started in January when police have been known as to the house after somebody within the neighborhood reported sightings of an almost bare 15-year-old boy operating round within the chilly.
The boy, one of many teenage twins, advised police that his stepfather compelled him to stroll outdoors as a part of a punishment. On the time, temperatures have been within the single digits.
Neighbors within the Decrease Macungie Township space additionally advised the officer that they’d introduced him inside to heat up after he knocked on their door for assist. They famous that he was famished and scarfed down all of the meals they supplied.
Authorities met the Dechant couple and located the bare boy’s twin with them, additionally in a equally emancipated situation.
Each brothers attested to the in depth abuse they’d shouldered, together with denial of fundamental requirements like meals and water, being compelled to be bare in and out of doors of the home as punishment, and being compelled to sleep collectively on the ground with only one blanket to share between them, officers shared at a press convention attended by NBC10 Philadelphia.
Video proof from Joshua and Tracy Dechant’s personal telephones confirmed their abuse in motion, together with clips of each boys bare outdoors and them sleeping on the ground.
The twins additionally disclosed different types of bodily and psychological abuse, together with hitting, solely showering with chilly water, not being permitted to remain at house or go away alone, and no contact with anybody outdoors of their house for a complete 12 months.
The twins have been rapidly taken to the hospital for a long-overdue checkup. Officers mentioned that they weighed 53 and 55 kilos, respectively. The typical 15-year-old boy their peak ought to weigh about 140 kilos. During the last eight years, although, they’d solely gained about 10 kilos every.
Whereas the investigation was ongoing, police additionally spoke with the twins’ organic older sister who not lives within the household’s house.
She advised cops that she was subjected to comparable abuse, together with being put out bare within the chilly for prolonged durations of time. She additionally testified to the abuse carried out to her brothers however famous she hadn’t lived within the house since April 2023.
Officers mentioned that each boys have been discharged from the hospital with recent diagnoses of a laundry listing of medical points that, if gone untreated, would’ve probably killed them.
Bail for the couple was set at $200,000 every. They’re set to look for preliminary hearings on Feb. 27.
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