Pocono News Section

Wayne County Couple Pleads Guilty to Child Abuse

Wayne County Couple Pleads Guilty to Child Abuse - Thursday, April 15, 2010 at 04:02AM EST

Reported by: Eric Deabill
Thursday April 15 2010
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HONESDALE, WAYNE COUNTY - A Wayne County couple, charged with a disturbing case of child abuse, has admitted their guilt.

Carla Haviland and her boyfriend Nathaniel Smith both pleaded guilty Thursday afternoon in Honesdale. They both entered guilty pleas to one count of endangering the welfare of a child.

Prosecutors say the couple abused a 12-year-old girl last year.

Court papers indicate the suspects did not let the girl eat at time and/or use the bathroom at other times. They also didn't take her to a dentist, gave her shoes that were two sizes too small and even shaved her head because they thought she lied.

Investigators say the girl was basically a prisoner inside her own home.

The most disturbing allegation is that they made the girl skip school to hold 46 pounds of weights for a total of 12 hours.

Neither prosecutors or defense attorneys would comment on the guilty pleas Thursday afternoon, but since the case is so high-profile, getting reaction to the pleas was not difficult.

"It's outrageous," Rochelle Travis of Lakewood said. "I couldn't imagine doing that to my child at all. He's the love of my life and it hurts just to put him in time out, let alone anything else."

"It's complete amazement," Gary Magie said. "How any parent can torture their kid for any length of time, no matter what they've done."

Both Smith and Haviland tried to dodge our camera as they left court. Both suspects face up to five years in prison when they are sentenced in June.

"The punishment should be a lot longer," Magie said. "I don't think you can put a time frame on it. It's just -- to torture another human being like that -- it's just not right."

As for the 12-year-old victim, she was removed from the home. Prosecutors say within just two weeks of the couple being arrested, she gained ten pounds and is now in good health.