Cops rescue 14 kids including baby from ‘house of horrors’ where they were ‘tortured, beaten & fed pet food’ by parents
COPS have rescued 14 kids from a “house of horrors” where they were allegedly tortured, beaten and fed pet food by their parents.
The children – including a baby – were pulled out of the “atrocious” conditions after the two eldest daughters secretly filmed the alleged abuse and took it to the police.
The two officers who were first on the scene at the filthy home in Sydney described seeing the kids’ skinny bodies in ill-fitting and soiled clothes.
Police allege the siblings – ranging in age from seven months to a 19-year-old – were kept from school and locked away inside the home.
They allege the parents fed them “pet-quality” meat and whipped them if they spoke out of line or didn’t do their chores.
Only the two eldest were allowed out of the house to pray while their siblings had never been beyond the end of the street.
The 18-year-old daughter told Australia’s Daily Telegraph: “We weren’t allowed to speak without permission.
“No friends, no internet access. No clothing, no jobs, no life, no study.”
The mum, who converted to Islam as an adult, would allegedly report the children’s “bad” behaviour to her husband when he came home from work.
According to the mum, the dad would then punish the “bad” children with beatings.
One of the daughters claimed her dad punished her by buying her a cat and torturing it in front of her.
“It was something that really got to me. I loved cats so he would beat them, then make me parade the dead cats around,” she said.
“He tortured me with cats.”
Another sister claimed she was emotionally abused by her parents.
On one occasion, she told how she cooked and baked all day for ten men who came over the the house.
The girl said she tried to make her dad happy so that she could “stop the bad stuff”.
The siblings who reported the alleged abuse to the authorities used their iPads to gather evidence.
They reportedly took photos of the alleged abuse – including their younger siblings being whipped.
Cops decided to enter the home and speak to the children while the father wasn’t there.
“We were a bit worried because once we were in there, if they didn’t say anything, then yeah, of course, we were worried about when dad comes back, what was he going to do,” the officer reportedly said.
“It was pretty stressful.”
One officer said the children had “nothing worth saving” from the home as they didn’t even have sheets, pillows or blankets.
Officers had to teach the siblings how to do basic errands – such as shopping for food.
But the authorities have managed to keep the family together.
“It’s such an unusual case, so there’s definitely some bumps along the way,” the lead officer told the Daily Telegraph.
“The girls know what they have taken on is a massive responsibility, but they were up for the challenge if it meant keeping their family together.
“They have had to become parents when they are 18 and 19 and should be living their life. So it’s definitely hard for them.
“They will have brothers and sisters finishing school soon, they have little ones to care for so they have a lot of years ahead of them where they will have to be parents.
“But we still want them to have their own life.”
NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said she was proud of the dedication of the two first responding officers and their care for the children.
The children’s parents have been charged and are due to face court.