Husband and wife charged with abusing three adopted children

By: Janice Peterson

PROVO -- An Eagle Mountain couple was officially charged Wednesday with physically abusing three children in their care.

Leslie Erickson, 48, and Gary Erickson, 59, were each charged with three second-degree felony counts of inflicting serious physical injury on a child intentionally. They could face one to 15 years in prison on each charge if convicted.

Police say Leslie Erickson abused three of her adopted children. While the investigation is ongoing as to the involvement of both parents, prosecutor Julia Thomas said Gary Erickson also can be charged if he allowed the abuse of children in his care.

"The statute provides for either the abuse of the child or allowing the abuse of the child," she said.

Thomas also asked the judge for a no-contact order for both parents and their children. Seven children were removed from the home after Leslie Erickson's arrest.

"They're not in the home, but I don't want there to be any contact," Thomas said.

Leslie Erickson's attorney, Michael Langford, told the judge he intends to ask for a lower bail for his client. Bail is currently set at $50,000 cash, and Langford said he would like to either see the bail reduced or made bondable.

Langford said Leslie Erickson has strong ties to the community, where she has lived for at least 10 years. He said she has committed no crimes in the past, and what she is accused of now are only allegations at this point.

Leslie Erickson has passed multiple criminal background checks in the past and was a foster parent, Langford said.

"She's a wonderful mother," Langford said. "She's taken in all these kids."

Langford said he was only recently retained as Erickson's attorney, and he has not received the evidence in the case. He said he could not comment on what happened in the case, and Erickson will not be making a statement.

Leslie Erickson was arrested March 23 after she and her husband took their 5-year-old daughter to a fire station, saying she had fallen and hit her head, according to the Utah County Sheriff's Office. The girl's condition quickly deteriorated and she was flown by medical helicopter to Primary Children's Medical Center, where doctors cut away nearly half her skull to relieve pressure on her brain. While Leslie Erickson reportedly claimed the girl tripped on a rug and hit her head on the bathroom floor, doctors told investigators the girl's injuries were caused by a force equal to an unrestrained child hitting her head on a windshield in a car accident. She also allegedly had injuries consistent with strangulation and injuries in various stages of healing from "head to toe."

According to police, both Erickson and her husband withheld information or gave false statements to doctors when asked how long the girl was without oxygen. They also allegedly provided false written information to investigators.

Thomas said the girl is still not doing well and is very damaged from the alleged abuse.

A witness also reportedly told police of an incident involving another child in the home, in which Leslie Erickson allegedly threw a boy down the stairs. The boy and his older brother also reportedly snuck a jelly bean and were forced to eat the entire bowl and were provided with a bucket in which to vomit.

All three children were allegedly forced to stand for hours without meals and forced to stand in a tub for hours if they wet their beds.

Erickson allegedly told police she disciplines the children by striking the bottoms of their feet and toes with a belt, while Gary Erickson reportedly also admitted using a belt on the children. Gary Erickson was not arrested at the time, but subpoenaed to appear in court.