A Harrisburg woman faces multiple charges after authorities claim she forced her children to choose between being beaten with a belt or shot as a form of discipline.
Maria Roche, 31, is charged with two counts of aggravated assault of a victim under 13 years of age, two counts of endangering the welfare of a child and one count of simple assault, according to charging documents filed by Harrisburg police on March 20.
Her boyfriend, William Witherspoon, was charged with two felony counts of endangering the welfare of a child and police determined he “laughed” at Roche’s alleged abuse, according to charging documents.
Police began investigating on Feb. 24, when Dauphin County Children and Youth Services contacted authorities after receiving a report from one of the victims, who was 12 years old.
On February 17, a CYS caseworker conducted an unannounced visit to Roach’s Cloverly Road home, where Roach allegedly admitted to having a firearm in the home.
The complaint states that CYS conducted forensic interviews with the two victims at the home on March 20. One victim said Roach often forced them to choose between “a gun or a belt” when disciplining them.
At one point, one victim reported, Roach tried to shoot one of their siblings in the head. The victim told police the bullet missed and struck the wall. Roach allegedly asked one of the other children to retrieve the gun for her before shooting the child.
Witherspoon, who lived at the house, allegedly watched the events and laughed, the victim said.
One victim told police Roach stored the gun under her bed and provided the exact location. The victim said she tried to secretly remove the weapon out of fear but was unsuccessful.
Another victim provided an account in which Roach allegedly placed the barrel of the gun between the eyes of one of the other children, police said.
One victim said he was struck in the back, arms and neck with a belt. The victim allegedly provided police with a description of the belt, the complaint states.
Court records show Roach and Witherspoon are both being held in the Dauphin County Jail in default of $10,000 bail. Both men are scheduled to have preliminary hearings on April 8.
