ELKINS – A second arrest has been made in a child abuse case in Randolph County.
Rosemary Nicole McClearen, 38, of Elkins, has been charged with child neglect resulting in injury. McClearen is being held at the Tygarts Valley Regional Jail on a $50,000 cash-only bond.
McClearen was the foster mother of several children who are the alleged victims in the case. Her live-in partner, Luis Torres-Serrano, was charged earlier this week with multiple felonies, including first and third-degree sexual abuse; second and third-degree sexual assault; sexual abuse by a parent, guardian, custodian or person in a position of trust to a child; and child abuse resulting in injury. He is being held in TVRJ on a $210,000 cash-only bond.
Interviews with several children under both Luis Torres-Serrano and McClearen’s care alleged that there were multiple occurrences of sexual abuse, sexual assault, neglect and child abuse in the past two years starting shortly after Torres-Serrano had moved into the residence, according to the criminal complaint.
Police reports allege that the juveniles in the couple´s custody would receive punishments ranging from being struck in the head and mouth areas as well as being made to kneel down on their hands and knees for extended periods of time.
The complaint alleges that if some of the younger children had an “accident” Torres-Serrano would correct them with severe punishments which would cause the children to scream loudly and that McClearen could hear the screams but would do nothing to stop it.
Some of the juveniles also claimed that McClearen had styled two of the female juveniles in oversized, dirty male clothing because of being jealous and so that Torres-Serrano would have less interest in them, the police report states.
Two of the juveniles allegedly made detailed reports of multiple sexual abuse and assaults allegedly incurred upon them by Torres-Serrano. The complaint states that two of the children said Torres-Serrano told them he would “kill” them if they told anyone about the abuse.
The criminal complaint states that fishing poles, golf clubs, a metal flute, a cane and other objects were used to abuse the children. The children were also allegedly forced to stand outside in the cold weather, and food was often withheld from them, sometimes for days, the report states.
