Ohio girl’s email to teacher seeking help leads to 3 abuse arrests, ‘good home’ for siblings

CINCINNATI – An investigator says children rescued by a sister’s email cry for help to a teacher after they allegedly were beaten and tied to their beds, sometimes for weeks at a time, have been placed in a foster care with “loving people.”

The email late last month led the teacher to call 911 and an investigation involving police and children’s services authorities led to the arrests of the girl’s mother, grandmother and stepfather. They appeared in court Wednesday and are being held on bond.

Police say the children were beaten and tied to their beds, and the 44-year-old man arrested in the case also is charged with repeatedly raping his stepdaughters, ages 9 and 11, and abusing their 8-year-old brother. Authorities also say the children were only sometimes allowed to eat.