Four Stockton Family Members Arrested On Child Abuse Charges
STOCKTON (CBS13) - Four Stockton family members are accused of emotionally and physically abusing children under their care.
George Orozco Sr., 59, Edith Yolanda Orozco, 50, George Orozco Jr., 21, and Sara Orozco, 18, were booked into the San Joaquin County Jail on Friday on child abuse charges against five children ranging in age from 6 to 14.
Neighbors are in disbelief about what police say was happening beyond the walls of this home. They children, they say, were being abused and denied food.
"Totally took me by surprise," one said.
CBS13 has learned officers were called to San Joaquin Elementary School after school employees became concerned about five siblings ranging in age from 6 to 14.
Officers say they immediately saw signs of abuse.
"I can say this was going on for some time," Officer Joe Silva said. "These children were not only abused physically but also mentally and they were malnourished."
Police would respond to the home on Laguna Circle early Friday morning, arresting the children's guardians, their aunt and uncle Edith Orozco and George Orozco Sr. along with their two adult children, Sara Orozco, and George Orozco Jr. They are all facing felony child abuse charges.
Officers say beyond being denied food, the kids were struck with what are only described as "objects."
"This was definitely a severe and significant child abuse case," Silva said. "If we didn't get involved as quickly as we did, we don't know what would have happened to these children."
A neighbor said while he didn't notice any abuse, he did say the children at the home seemed to be put to work more than normal children.
"I've never heard any yelling, any screaming, any crying or anything," he said. "They were always raking the leaves, cleaning the garage or washing the cars or something like that. They never really played. They were always busy doing something."
All four suspects are scheduled to be in court on Tuesday. George Jr., Edith and Sara Orozco are all charged with child abuse, inflicting great bodily injury and corporal injury to a child, with bail for each set at $250,000. George Orozco Sr. is charged with one count of child abuse and is being held on $150,000 bail.
