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HH I A Pp 4 - PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, July 10, 2001 "Scugog's Community Newspaper of Choice" From page 1 "They (CAS) asked thgt we assemble a. team. of investigators and prepare to inter- view witnesses," Ret. "Nadeau said. "oy CAS workers accompanied by police offi. cers traveled t to the'farm house. What they. found there left some officers shaken, according to police sources. "I will tell you this," Det. Kate Laing said. "I cried all the way home afterward, I could not stop." A police news release at the time of the arrests gaid, "two male children were locked in separate enclosed baby cribs for years." The release went on to say, "the youngsters were forced to wear diapers, remained in the cribs for hours, suffered physical pun- ishment and did not receive adequate food." The parents of the boys - the father, 49, and the mother, 40 - turned themselves into police last Wednesday (July 4). The father had to be taken to hospital briefly after complaining of chest pains during police interviews. The parents cannot be named by order of the court to protect the identity of the two boys. life ATE 4 ow Both parents. are c charged with two counts 'each of: . $ " Forcible confinement Ae o.Failure, provid the necessities of Assault" Lo "- @r Assault with a vid Q Aggravated assault The woman is further charged with one count of administering a noxious substance. Both boys are in the care of CAS at sepa- rate secure foster homes. The youngsters, aged about 14 and 15, attended school on a regular basis, accord- ing to neighbours. The boys were described by school mates as "kind of quiet, but they - yelled at each other a lot." At the bail hearing for the two accused, held in Oshawa Friday afternoon, family members sat at the back of a courtroom packed with media. One elderly family member, who made a failed attempt to post bond for the couple, sobbed quietly at sev- eral points during the proceedings. The two accused sat side by side in the prisoner's dock, and spoke only briefly to each other once during the hour-long hear- wy; i -Justice of the Péace ed the bail applicati : Alex Sosna, imposing the accused not associate with potential witnesses. But the JP did not accept the sureties proposed at the hearing. The cou- ple can be released from custody after find- ing separate sureties in the amount of $10,000 each. They were ordered held in custody until July 16, but release could come sooner. Mr. Sosna said outside court Friday that he was pleased with the outcome of the hearing. "I'm delighted that they were granted the privilege of bail," Mr. Sosna said. "Our next task will be to secure suitable sureties and gain their release as quickly as possi- ble." Mr. Sosna said the couple could be freed as soon as bail is arranged, rather than wait- ing for the next court date. "If sureties become available we will Zh A SRD Ar ron ation," Mr. Sosna said. "They are iki con- cerned." Mr. Sosna said it is important for the public to remember that the charges of hor- rific child abuse are, at this point, only alle- gations. "They are allegations; they have to be proven," he said. "There are issues... and they are presumed innocent." When asked by The Star if he planned a not guilty plea for his clients, Mr. Sosna said: "l am anticipating a trial in this matter yes." The couple will remain in custody, but could be released as early as this week if bail conditions are met. The two boys remain in the custody of the Children's Aid Society, despite the pres- ence of several other family members in the area. By Rik Davie Port Perry Star Veteran police officers have been hit hard with waves of emotion after the arrest last week of a Blackstock cou- ple on chargés they confined their twe children in cages for hours on end over a period of years, Det. Paul Nadeau, a veteran Durham Regional Police investigator, was hard pressed at times to maintain his composure as he testifie d at a bail hearing Friday. The two accused, a 49-year-old man and his wife, 40, were eventually granted $10,000 bail, but-are still in custody. Outside the court, Det. Nadeau told reporters the case is a difficult one to retain a professional outlook on. "Anyone who comes across a case like this can be eteran investigators struggle with 'horrific' case nothing but upset," he said. "We have to be human here, and that is what | am." When asked if he would sleep that night, the veteran investigator of numerous child abuse and sexual assault cases lowered his head and said, "I never sleep; let's put it that way." He said fellow officers are feeling the tension sur- rounding the case. Investigators allege that the parents assaulted the two teenaged boys over a period of time, withheld necessities of life, and administered a noxious substance to them. Evidence given at the bail hearing and the identity of the two boys, and their parents is prohibited by a court- ordered media ban. "It's been a long time since | have seen a group of experienced officers that includes homicide officers, sex- ual assault officers and child abuse investigators have such a difficult time handling an investigation emotion- ally," Det. Nadeau said. "Yes, we do carry it around." Even veteran media members, used to hearing evi- dence that cannot be revealed due to media bans, were unusually subdued in their questioning of police and lawyers after the hearing in an Oshawa court house Friday afternoon. The next court appearance for the two suspects is set for July 16 in Oshawa.