Kent County Couple Indicted for Serial Child Abuse

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A Kent County couple has been indicted on 646 charges, including more than 80 felonies, for abusing their two children. Over a period of 20 months, 45 year old Mary Vinson and 36 year old Charles Vinson are alleged to have abused their children – including making them stand for long periods of time, withholding food, force feeding them and physically assaulting the victims. Both children have been transferred into the custody of the Division of Family services.

The charges against both defendants are as follows:

Mary Vinson:

• 7 counts of Child Abuse 1^st Degree, a Class B Felony 
• 12 counts of Conspiracy 2^nd Degree, a Class G Felony
• 2 counts of Conspiracy 3^rd Degree, a Class A Misdemeanor
• 4 counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a Class G Felony
• 6 counts of Menacing, an Unclassified Misdemeanor
• 71 counts of Reckless Endangering 2^nd Degree, a Class A Misdemeanor
• 2 counts of Kidnapping 1^st Degree, a Class B Felony
• 225 counts of Child Abuse 3^rd Degree, a Class A Misdemeanor
• 3 counts of Reckless Endangering 1^st Degree, a Class E Felony
• 11 counts of Attempted Child Abuse 1^st Degree, a Class B Felony
• 7 counts of Strangulation, a Class E Felony
• 1 count of Attempted Strangulation, a Class E Felony
• 244 counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a Class A Misdemeanor
• 2 counts of Act of Intimidation, a Class D Felony
• 3 counts of False Statement, a Class G Felony

Charles Vinson:

• 6 counts of Child Abuse 1^st Degree, a Class B Felony 
• 12 counts of Conspiracy 2^nd Degree, a Class G Felony 
• 9 counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a Class G Felony 
• 2 counts of Reckless Endangering 2^nd Degree, a Class A Misdemeanor
• 2 counts of Conspiracy 3^rd Degree, a Class A Misdemeanor
• 2 counts of Kidnapping 1^st Degree, a Class B Felony
• 2 counts of Act of Intimidation, a Class D Felony 
• 3 counts of Menacing, an Unclassified Misdemeanor
• 3 counts of Child Abuse 3^rd Degree, a Class A Misdemeanor
• 3 counts of Endangering the Welfare, a Class A Misdemeanor 
• 2 counts of False Statement, a Class G Felony

If convicted on all charges, Mary Vinson faces a minimum sentence of 40 years and a maximum sentence of more than 1,150 years. Charles Vinson would face a minimum sentence of 16 years and a maximum sentence of more than 270 years.

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