Authorities in Pennsylvania have charged a 31-year-old mother and her boyfriend following disturbing allegations that children in their home were subjected to violent discipline involving both a belt and a firearm.
According to the Harrisburg Police Department, Maria Roche faces multiple charges, including aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of a child, and simple assault. Her boyfriend, William Witherspoon, 41, has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child.
The case emerged after the Dauphin County Children and Youth Services alerted police on February 24, following a report made by a 12-year-old. Investigators say a caseworker had already visited the home days earlier, on February 17, during which Roche acknowledged that firearms were kept inside the residence.
Further interviews conducted weeks later revealed troubling details. One child told investigators that Roche would regularly force them to choose “the gun or the belt” as a form of punishment, a claim that has become central to the investigation.
In one particularly alarming account, a child alleged that Roche fired a gun toward a sibling’s head but missed. The same child said Roche had instructed another child to retrieve the weapon before the shot was fired.
Children in the home also described Witherspoon’s alleged role during these incidents. According to their statements, he was aware of what was happening and “laughed whenever they happened,” rather than intervening.
Additional testimony from the children outlined repeated physical abuse. One victim told investigators they were struck with a belt on multiple parts of the body, including the back, arms, and neck. Another claimed Roche once placed the barrel of a firearm between a sibling’s eyes.
Authorities also noted concerns about firearm storage in the home. One child reported that the weapons were kept under a bed and said they had attempted to secretly unload one of the guns but were unable to do so.
Roche and Witherspoon are currently being held on $10,000 bail each. Preliminary hearings in the case are scheduled for April 8, where prosecutors are expected to present further evidence tied to the allegations.
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