Tracy, Calif. (KCBS/CBS 5/AP) -- A Tracy couple made their first public appearance in court on Thursday on charges of kidnapping and torturing a 16-year-old boy who limped into a nearby gym Monday afternoon with a chain and padlock attached to his ankle after escaping from the couple’s home.
At the San Joaquin County Superior Court in Stockton, court documents reveal that Kelly Layne Lau, 30, and her husband, Michael Schumacher, 34, allegedly abused the teen for 18 months, not a year as previously believed. They were charged with 13 counts related to the alleged abuse including kidnapping, torture, false imprisonment by violence, child beating, child abuse and other offenses.
The couple is also accused of endangering their own four biological children at their home. In addition, the complaint says they used knife, belt and baseball bat on the boy.
Both could receive life sentences if they are convicted.
Prosecutor Angela Hayes says the charges are serious.
“You’ve seen the charges alleged, that there’s great bodily injury, you’ve seen the time alleged, over a year-and-a-half, [and] you’ve seen the nature of the charges from torture to aggravated to mayhem to false imprisonment to corporal injury inflicting great bodily injury, so I think the charges speak for themselves as to the nature of this case.
The couple have been assigned public defenders and have not entered pleas. They will be back in court Monday.
The third suspect, Caren Ramirez, 43, who is believed to have legal custody of the boy, was charged with 10 counts on Thursday. Those included torture, kidnapping and child abuse, as well as a misdemeanor “pay for adoption” offense. She too will appear in court Monday.
The boy escaped from the couple's Tracy home on Monday afternoon by jumping over a fence in the backyard and fled with a chain still attached to his foot to a nearby fitness center. He appeared emaciated, was covered in soot, and wearing only boxer shorts.
The boy was treated at a Tracy hospital and released Wednesday into the custody of Child Protective Services, said Tracy police spokesman Matt Robinson.
For those interested in donating to a fund of behalf of the teen, please visit http://sacchildadv.org/
Photos courtesy of CBS 5.
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