Woman arrested in child torture case

May 25, 2012 11:40 am(0) Comments

HANFORD — A local woman is behind bars on $1.2 million bail today on suspicion of abusing and torturing her four adopted children, authorities say.

Kelly Doreen Morris, 50, is accused of beating the kids black and blue with a belt and shoving their heads underwater for long periods of time as punishment, according to a report by the Kings County Sheriff’s Office.

Neighbors learned of the abuse on Wednesday and reported it to local law enforcement. Deputies responding to the scene found the four children with welts and “severe bruising” on their backs, buttocks and shoudlers.

Assistant Sheriff Dave Putnam says Child Protective Services has been called out to the residence on Ninth Avenue, south of Hanford, in the past.

CPS removed the kids from the home following the arrest and placed them in temporary custody “for their safety and welfare,” a news release said.

Investigators say the kids, all between the ages 12 and 16, have been in Morris’ care for about seven years.

Morris was arrested on suspicion of torture, willful cruelty to a child and assault to cause great bodily injury. She is being held at the Kings County Jail.