Kansas councilman, wife, accused of child abuse
TOPEKA, Kan. -- A Kansas city councilman and his wife were arrested on Nov. 19 on allegations of child abuse, reports CBS affiliate WIBW.
Jonathan and Allison Schumm, both of Topeka, are each charged with aggravated battery and abuse of a child, as well as four counts of endangering a child. They were released on bond they day after their arrests and neither is allowed contact with any of their 16 children, 12 of whom are adopted.
Court documents list five children as victims, all between the ages of five and 16. At least one child, a 12-year-old was allegedly tortured, or cruelly beaten by the Schumm's, according to court documents. The Kansas Department of Children and Families has not confirmed if or how many children were taken from the Schumm's.
The Department of Children and Families first asked Topeka police on Nov. 4 for help investigating reports of physical abuse against the Schumm's children, according to city officials.
This is Schumm's first term on Topeka City Council. He was elected to represent the 4th District, which is in the the southeast corner of the city, last April.
In 2013, the couple received a national "Angels in Adoption Award."