Women used drugs, hot sauce to abuse boy, police say


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WEST VALLEY CITY — Two women have been arrested for alleged ongoing abuse against a teenage boy after police say they duct taped him, forced drugs on him and poured Tabasco sauce in his eyes.

Krista Jean Miller, 33, and Robin Willette Rumsey, 38, were each arrested for investigation of numerous allegations, including intentional child abuse, four counts each of endangerment of a child, and two counts each of dealing in harmful materials to a minor.

The alleged abuse began when the boy was 12 and has gone on for the last two years, said West Valley Police Sgt. Jason Hauer.

The now 14-year-old boy claimed he was duct taped so that he couldn't move his arms and legs, carried down a flight of stairs into a basement and left in a room alone with the lights out for about 90 minutes, according to a Salt Lake County Jail report.

On another occasion, the women tried forcing the teen to use marijuana, according to police. He was "held by the women physically and (they) put a glass pipe in his mouth telling him to inhale," the report states. The women also allegedly did the same with alcohol by "pouring the alcohol over his face and mouth, prying his mouth open."


(He was) held by the women physically and (they) put a glass pipe in his mouth telling him to inhale.

–SL County Jail


On more than one occasion in 2011, someone dropped a glass pan on the floor and the boy was then pushed onto the glass pieces, according to the report. Police say one of the women also "forcefully poured Tabasco sauce in the eyes and face" of the boy.

Many of these incidents were done as a form of discipline, Hauer said.

The women would also watch pornographic movies when others, including children, were in their residence, the report states. The people in the movie were between 15 and 30 years old, according to the report.

Marsha Christensen, Miller's mother, said she left her own house a year ago because of verbal abuse from her daughter's husband who also lived in the house. She filed an eviction notice against Miller and Rumsey in January, according to Utah state court records. Christensen said she moved back into her house on Monday.

Despite the alleged treatment by her daughter, Christensen said she doesn't believe the child abuse allegations against her.

"No, she was not raised this way," she said.

Christensen believes the child abuse allegations were made up in retaliation because of an ongoing custody battle over the child.

Hauer said Wednesday that the child was in a "safe place" now, but couldn't say if he was in state protective custody or temporarily placed with another family.

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