An Ohio couple has been sentenced after taking a plea deal for the horrific abuse they inflicted upon their five adopted sons.
Charles and Matthew Edmonson, both of Clermont County, were accused of subjecting the boys to severe physical and mental torture in what prosecutors described as “dungeon”-like conditions.
The abuse included depriving the children of food and water, keeping them in locked rooms, and inflicting various forms of punishment.
Matthew Edmonson, 50, pleaded guilty to five counts of child endangering, while Charles Edmonson, 64, pleaded guilty to kidnapping, felonious assault, and three counts of child endangering.
Under the terms of the plea deal, Matthew was sentenced to a minimum of 13 years in prison, and Charles was sentenced to at least 15 years behind bars. The couple had previously faced over 200 years in potential sentences before the deal.
The Edmonsons’ actions came to light during an investigation that began in June 2024 after evidence of severe abuse was uncovered, including disturbing footage of the children, some of whom had special needs, being kept in deplorable conditions.
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Prosecutors described the children as being “worse than prisoners of war,” with footage showing them locked in a cold, basement room, sometimes without mattresses, food, or clothing.
The children, two of whom were 13 and 11, and triplets aged 8, were removed from the Edmonsons’ home earlier this year.
Authorities revealed that some of the boys had been hospitalized multiple times for injuries, which had been explained away by the couple. The abuse was so severe that it led to lasting physical and emotional trauma.
While the Edmonsons have expressed regret, with Matthew apologizing and expressing a desire for her sons’ healing, the children are now in new, safe homes, where they are reportedly thriving.
Prosecutors expressed relief that the children would no longer be subjected to the abuse, although they acknowledged the emotional scars may last a lifetime.