The family of 3-, 5- and 6-year-old children are accused of extreme neglect after the children were found malnourished, dehydrated, in diapers and unable to speak, according to Connecticut state police.
The children's mother, 32-year-old Donna Rodeheffer, was previously arrested in November.
The children’s father, 24-year-old Nicolas Emory and his two brothers, James Emory, 33, and Jason Emory, 38, were arrested Monday.
According to an arrest warrant application, James and Jason are accused of physically and emotionally neglecting the children. Nicolas Emory stands accused of neglect and cruelty, and in the arrest warrant application investigators also noted that DCF investigation showed reasonable cause to think that Nicolas Emory may have sexually abused his daughters.
Nicolas Emory was previously being held in Arizona, where he now lives, as a fugitive from justice on child pornography charges.
State police started investigating the case on July 21 when the state Department of Children and Families reported Rodeheffer and Nicolas Emory were suspected of neglecting the three children in Danielson. Emory’s mother and two brothers also lived in the home.
According to the arrest warrant application, both Nicolas and Jason Emory admitted to looking at child pornography in the home but denied anyone in the house had sexual contact with any of the children. Nicolas Emory told investigators during one interview that he sometimes watched pornography while his two daughters were in the room. Emory also told police there were times when he and Rodeheffer would have sex while the two children were in the same bed.
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Documents state that Rodeheffer told investigators that Nicolas Emory admitted to her that he “felt something” when the two female victims would crawl across his lap.
At the time the investigation began, all three children were severely underweight, had never had regular check-ups with a pediatrician or dentist, and had never attended school.
According to the documents Nicolas’s mother told police she tried to tell Nicolas and Rodeheffer to take the children to the doctor but they ignored her. She also told police she realized she should have done more to get the children help. James Emory also told police he did not agree with some of the ways the pair parented the children.
All the adults in the home admitted the conditions were not ideal for the children.
James Emory is accused of risk of injury/impairing the morals of children and was issued a $50,000 bond. Jason Emory was also charged with risk of injury/impairing the morals of children and issued a $75,000 bond. Nicolas Emory is charged with negligent cruelty to persons and risk of injury/impairing the morals of children and was held on a $150,000 bond.
