'Disturbing' investigation into child, animal abuse leads to more than 100 charges

Two men and one woman are facing more than 100 charges in connection with the yearslong abuse of several children and pets in southeast Edmonton.

Two men and one woman are facing more than 100 charges in connection with the yearslong abuse of several children and pets in southeast Edmonton.

The Edmonton Police Service's Child Protection unit began its investigation on Dec. 1 after reports of "significant child abuse" against seven children between the ages of two and 13, police said in a release on Wednesday.

The children were removed from the home that day and the Zebra Child and Youth Advocacy Centre interviewed them three days later.

"It was reported to police that the children were frequently beaten, strangled and malnourished for years. It is alleged that the accused father regularly subjected the children to punishments whereby they were forced to hold a painful physical position with their hands and feet on the floor for several hours," EPS wrote in the release.

"The accused father also used a shock collar to assault some of the children. The father also reportedly beat one of the family's five dogs frequently with a broom handle and tortured it by poking it with a stick through the kennel cage."

The 34-year-old father, his 37-year-old common law partner and a 25-year-old family member were arrested on Dec. 14.

The father and his partner each face 45 charges of aggravated assault, uttering threats, unlawful confinement, assault with a weapon, assault causing bodily harm and animal cruelty. The 25-year-old man is facing 14 charges of assault with a weapon and assault.