GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) – A South Carolina man is accused of rubbing hot sauce or hot peppers on his girlfriend’s children, attempting to smother them and shooting one of them in the foot with a BB gun.
Greenville Police Lt. Jason Rampey told The Greenville News on Wednesday that the abuse was meant to discipline the 5- and 7-year-old boys for misbehaving or wetting themselves.
Police arrested the 25-year-old mother, Sabrina Irene Emerick, and 37-year-old Robert Earl Kailiala Saladaga on charges including unlawful child neglect and cruelty.
Rampey says social services information prompted authorities to launch an investigation into the abuse in March. He says investigators believe the mother didn’t participate in the abuse, but allowed it to happen. Both have posted bail and been released. It’s unclear if they have lawyers.