Former Wisconsin State Patrol officer, family members arrested in De Pere child abuse case

SHELBY LE DUC   | Green Bay Press-Gazette

DE PERE – An initial court appearance was postponed Friday for a former Wisconsin State Patrol officer who is accused, along with her husband and son, of child abuse. 

Sharon M. Windey, 54, of De Pere, is expected to be charged in Brown County Circuit Court with strangulation or suffocation in connection to a child abuse investigation involving her three adopted children. Her husband Donald A. Windey, 52, and the couple's biological son, 26-year-old Steven D. Windey, are also expected to be charged.

The couple appeared separately for probable cause hearings earlier this week. A hearing was also held for Steven Windey the week before. 

All three were arrested by De Pere police on Feb. 16.

A prosecutor during Steven Windey's hearing said the arrests were made after police investigated a report that the three adopted children, all juveniles, were being exposed to mental, physical and sexual abuse at the Windey home in the 100 block of Sullivan Lane. 

Prosecutors said the abuse spanned several years, but recently reached a new level.  

During Steven Windey's probable cause hearing, prosecutors said the children told investigators about being ordered to do a prayer ritual while standing on one foot wearing nothing but underwear. They told authorities if they lost their balance and put their other foot down, they were beaten. They added Steven Windey was often the designated enforcer of the abuse. 

Other alleged abuse detailed during the parents' hearing includes the children being beaten with belts and the female children being forced to strip to their underwear and sit on Donald Windey's lap and give him "long kisses on the lips." 

The children told investigators Donald Windey was "seeing demons" as well as the archangel Gabriel who was telling him to do these things to them. Prosecutors also noted Donald Windey had built a 10 ft. cross in the yard and building an ark in the basement. 

The children also told police Sharon and Donald Windey had recently told them they didn't like them anymore and that they could no longer call them mom and dad. After that, the Windey's loaded up the children's belongings and gave them to Goodwill, prosecutors said.

Each child was left with a bed and just five days worth of clothes. 

In interviews with investigators, the children also described a Feb. 11 incident in which one of the children was sick, but Sharon Windey refused to give them medicine. They said the sick child ultimately threw up during breakfast and Sharon Windey forced the child to eat the vomit-covered food. 

One of the other children started arguing with Sharon Windey and she tried to shove the child, but the child pushed her away. Sharon Windey then called for Steven Windey, who lives at the home, telling him one of the kids pushed her down the stairs, prosecutors said last week, during Steven Windey's probable cause hearing.

According to the children, Steven Windey chased the child, pushed the child down on the couch, and put his hands around the child's throat

Sharon Windey's initial appearance in the matter is rescheduled for March 8 to give the state more time to file a criminal complaint.   

She and Donald Windey are both being held in Brown County Jail on $75,000 cash bonds. Donald Windey's next appearance in court is scheduled for March 9. 

Steven Windey has been released from jail on a cash bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for March 14 to allow him time to hire an attorney.