3 UNNAMED CHILDREN - 7, 8, and 9 yo - / Charged: Caretaker, Letina Smith - Kissimmee, FL

by twinkletoes Mon Feb 03, 2014 4:35 am

Osceola County Corrections
Letina Smith, 41, has been charged with child abuse after authorities said she punished three children with a stun gun.

A Florida caretaker has been arrested for allegedly using a stun gun on three young children as a form of punishment called "the electric chair."

The children, ages 7, 8, and 9, allegedly told investigators that Letina Smith, 41, of Kissimmee would hold them in time out for an hour and if they moved, they'd be zapped.

The disturbing claims came out this week after one of the children, a little girl, got in trouble at school and asked her teacher not to tell Smith, who is the cousin of the children's mother, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

That's when the child opened up about the violent abuse at home which involved them standing against a wall with their knees bent like they’re seated in a chair.

Police said all three children stories gave similar stories during their investigation.

One boy told police that the device was used on him by Smith to wake him up after he fell asleep in her car.

Smith admitted to police of owning a pink stun gun, but said she never touched the children with it, only held it a few inches from their skin while it was activated.

Smith was arrested Thursday and booked into the Osceola County jail on three counts of child abuse without great bodily harm.
She's being held on $3,000 bond.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/caretaker-stun-gun-children-punishment-cops-article-1.1598325#ixzz2s1ESX03S