Couple Arrested On Child Abuse Charges
By: Import User
Updated: January 7, 2009
A DeSoto Parish couple is behind bars. The husband is accused of sexually abusing their 7-year-old child. And the wife stands accused of withholding information about the abuse from police.
"She had more knowledge of it than what she admitted. And had allowed for some of it to go on without coming to authorities and taking care of it then." said Corporal Adam Ewing, DeSoto Parish Sheriff`s Office.
31-year-old Bartolo Bernal and his 28-year-old wife Miranda were arrested Thursday. Investigators say the wife told them about the alleged abuse, but lied about how long it had been going on. Now Mr. Bernal is facing charges of aggravated incest and his wife is accused of being an accessory to aggravated incest.
"If you`re living with a person that you`re afraid of and that you`re scared to talk to police... I can understand that. But in our investigation that never came up," said Ewing.
The 7-year-old victim and five siblings have been taken into protective custody. The Bernals are being held at the DeSoto Parish Detention Center without bond.
