All PoconosB2B, News, Classified and all about life in Poconos
  

Read News

Pocono News Section

Couple Sentenced for Child Abuse

Couple Sentenced for Child Abuse - Thursday, June 10, 2010 at 04:04AM EST

Reported by: Eric Deabill
Thursday June 10 2010


HONESDALE, WAYNE COUNTY - Two people in Wayne County, who pleaded guilty to a horrific case of child abuse are both going to prison.

Carla Haviland and her boyfriend Nathaniel Smith were both sentenced Thursday morning. They were both given between six and 18 months in prison. They pleaded guilty to child endangerment charges earlier this year.

Investigators say they admitted not letting a 12-year-old girl use the bathroom or eat on several occasions. They also admitted to shaving her head and giving her shoes that were two sizes too small.

"It was torture. I just don't understand that's all they got. It's ridiculous. Totally ridiculous," neighbor Debbie Knapp said.

Knapp lives in the Sunrise Terrace Trailer Park in Honesdale. She was one of the first to call authorities, thinking the couple was abusing the 12-year-old girl.

"The kid was only allowed to come outside to pick up the dog poop and then it was right back inside," Knapp said.

Haviland and Smith said nothing as they showed up to court. Neighbors can't believe some of the allegations.

"She came out one day and I thought it was a little boy and she's like 'hi.' I spun around and looked. It was her. She had a shaved head," neighbor Toby Smith said.

As both suspects were taken off to prison, most in their community were shocked at the details of the crime.

One time the girl was forced to skip school and hold 46 pounds of weights for a total of 12 hours. Even prosecutor Pat Robinson was surprised.

"When I first heard about those weights, I really had a hard time believing it because it was so outrageous," Robinson said.

As the couple's trailer now sits empty, a community is forced to move forward wondering if justice was served.

"They should have a lot more time, a lot more time for what they did," Knapp said.

The 12-year-old girl who was abused is now living in Arizona.
 


Discuss this news

Your Name (nickname):
Your Email: (will remain private)
Your Comments:
  


Home | News | Businesses | PA places | Classified | Cars for Sale | Account | Products | Home Recipes | Manuals | Stock Images | Earn Commissions | Advertise | Contact Us | Search
Raw Hack

© 2024 AllPoconos.Com All rights reserved.