Parents Sentenced In Child Abuse Case

By Steve Burgin

LaRue County, Ky. -- A LaRue County, Ky., couple charged with abusing their four children learned their punishment Friday.

Juan and Myra Rodriguez were charged with more than 70 counts of child abuse-related crimes between the two of them.

The prosecutor said they tortured their children for more than a year.

Child Protective Services caught wind of this case after doctors at Kosair Children's Hospital in Louisville noticed unusual injuries to a 3-year-old girl. Investigators said the girl had her arm and leg broken.

Myra Rodriguez faced the more serious charges. She was named in a 47-count indictment on charges of criminal abuse, complicity to commit criminal abuse, assault and endangering the welfare of a minor.

"According to statements from the children they had all suffered some type of abuse," LaRue County Deputy Matt Darst.

Allegations against the parents included pushing the kids down the stairs of their home. Adult bite marks were found on a 10-year-old.

Under the agreement, Myra will spend 10 years in prison with the Commonwealth opposing probation.

Juan Rodriguez faced fewer, less serious charges. He made a deal and will spend 12 months in jail, probated for two years if he stays out of trouble and out of the state of Kentucky.

In both cases, the prosecutor said the victims and their foster parents agreed to the punishment. All four children are in foster care.

"The allegations were, they were horrible. I mean these kids were tortured and if it has just been some discipline that went over the line, it may have not been discovered," said assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Whitney Meredith.

The Rodriguez family had one child of their own and adopted three children after learning about them on "Wednesday's Child," WLKY's weekly profile of children up for adoption.

Final approval for the adoption of all children profiled on the program comes from Child Protective Services, not WLKY. The state does background checks on adoptive parents. In this case, it was the state that initiated the police investigation.