Fla. woman allegedly laughed while abusing and torturing several children
12/30/2022 2:16 pm PST
ESCAMBIA COUNTY, Fla. (TCD) -- A 31-year-old woman faces multiple charges for her role in the alleged abuse and torture of children, including a 13-month-old.
Escambia County court records show Jakirea Foreman was arrested Thursday, Dec. 29, and charged with seven counts of child neglect. Eric Suggs was also taken into custody earlier in the week on five counts of aggravated battery of a child.
Suggs and Foreman’s relationship to the children was not immediately clear.
According to the arrest report cited by WKRG-TV, on Nov. 9, Pensacola Police Department officers went to the Gulf Coast Kid’s House after receiving a call about seven children being abused. They ranged in age from 13 months to 11 years old. Five of the seven children reportedly showed signs of abuse and torture.
On Nov. 14, officers reportedly conducted interviews with the children and they allegedly said they had been whipped with phone chargers and leather belts.
WKRG reports one victim told police they saw Foreman whip one of the other children "a lot of times."
Another reportedly mentioned a time Suggs allegedly hit them, and added, "Jakirea doesn’t do anything other than laugh."
The responding Pensacola Police officer reportedly wrote in the arrest report that the victims "all stated Jakirea would laugh and not stop Eric while he whipped the children with a cord and belt."
The report added, "All four children stated Jakirea was present on multiple occasions when Eric would whip them with a cord and belt; however, Jakirea would continue to leave Eric with the children, which allowed the abuse to continue."
According to WEAR-TV, police spoke with victims who were 6, 8, 9, and 11 years old. They allegedly said Suggs would hit the 13-month-old when he cried or didn’t walk.
Some of the other children were reportedly punched, burned, and choked.
Both Suggs and Foreman were booked into the Escambia County Jail.
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