Fort Pierce Couple Accused Of Forcing Girl To Live Outside
FORT PIERCE (CBS4) - A couple in Fort Pierce is charged with child abuse after deputies reported that one of three girls that lived in the home was kept outside and only allowed in at night to sleep on the floor.
The home of Juan Moreno, 34, and Joanna Moreno, 31, was investigated by sheriff's deputies after a 911 hang-up call came in Saturday.
The couple was charged with domestic battery for fighting. According to the Sun Sentinel Juan was charged with a felony because it involved strangulation, while she was charged with a misdemeanor.
A twist in the investigation came when deputies investigated the three girls that lived in the home on the 8400 block of Pensacola Road. Deputies said that two of the three appeared well-kept, but a third appeared dirty and poorly dressed.
That girl told deputies that she had to shower and use the bathroom outdoors, wash her clothes in a bucket, and store everything in a plastic shed in the yard. She was only allowed inside to sleep on the floor of the home without any blankets or sheets.
Deputies reported finding the toilet and shower outdoors, as well as the other items reported by the girl in the shed.
The couple was taken to jail and the children were left in the care of the Department of Children and Families.
(Source: The Sun Sentinel)
