Do you know what was causing them to poop all the time? >> What lots of Matt told me is that you guys were going to say that I abused him. We did not, but he has a prolapsed rectum. >> When you say slept in there, images of them sleeping in there on the floor with no clothes, no mattress, no pillow, no sheets. >> [clears throat] >> If you were scared of him, why would you bond him out of jail? >> He's in jail on serious charges. He's [music] not getting out. >> You posted a lot of money to bond him out. I don't believe that you were scared. >> It's July 24th in Bond Via Township, Ohio. Deputies arrive after evidence from a separate investigation leads them to a family who had adopted five brothers with medical challenges. What detectives found on one phone would unravel everything inside that home. My name is Bart and you're watching Police Watch. >> Is that the one the old one you're talking about? He drove that one in the Nissan? >> Yeah, so. >> Which phone? >> It's a nice phone. >> Yeah, I know. >> He told me it was his wife's. >> 929 Is that what he took you to key? >> It's a chance. >> Yeah, I get that. I was looking at this. >> See if you got his phone there. >> I'm here on the scene. >> 10-4 10-4. >> I need to get in the house. The bed and the bedding in the car are really different. There's clothes and stuff on the floor. I still want like the color on the sheets and stuff. >> Uh no, everything's been moved out and changed out. It's a lot nicer now. >> Yeah, no. I photographed I photographed the whole house, but do you want me to collect the pillow and sheets? All right, copy. >> Go ahead. Is there any EMS traffic? >> Negative. All right, so. I need your cell phone. >> If he has to take my cell phone, my all my my work stuff is in it. I need all my banking stuff and everything. >> Ma'am, I absolutely recognize that people live with their cell phones and this >> I need to take pictures of my calendars and stuff like that. >> I will get it back to you as soon as I possibly can, but I do have to take it to copy it. >> I have to take pictures of my work stuff. >> How do you want to do that? Just tell me how you're going to do it. We'll talk about how you can. You want to take screenshots and send them? >> Yeah. >> That's fine. Just do it where I can see you that you're not deleting anything. >> I'm not deleting anything. I I need my banking stuff and all that. >> make sure because I've had it done to me before. >> Okay. I'm >> And then after the investigation, she will get her phone back. >> Yes, okay. And I like I said, I will try and make it quicker than than longer because I understand that that you need your phone. We're done. Do you have any questions of me? All right. You might want to get in contact with your lawyer, okay? And have him give you a call. Do you have my card? >> Yes. >> That's my cell phone number on the back. You can call me anytime. We have everything, right? >> Yep. >> Camera? >> Yep. >> Evidence? >> Yep. >> Hello. I'm Deputy Bailey. You got anything in your pockets at all? Nothing at all? Can you turn your side out? You don't You don't have pockets? Okay, that works. You got to step over here. Turn around, put your hands behind your back. Put them together like you're praying. >> [snorts] >> All right, step out here. We're going to go out the front door, same way you came in. You can go and have a seat. >> Robert, are you just confirming you want the SWAT to respond in or stand down? The SWAT was down at 17:44. Do you want us to re-dispatch? >> You let the deputies come in with the uh >> Is that all? >> I'm going to check you real quick and make sure you don't have any guns or anything like that and then we'll let you put the dogs up. If you guys stay with us, all right? >> I don't care what you do. It's okay. I just don't want to go through the x-rays. >> I'll pat you I'll pat you down real quick, okay? Turn around for me. No guns or knives on you? Bailey, I don't mean to be rude, but um were you born a man or a woman? Were you born a female? >> Yes. >> Okay. So, what will happen Sorry. Um once we get to the jail, obviously, you're going to go through body scanner. You don't have anything inside you. So, I'm not going to pat down below your waist or anything like that, okay? So, once we get to the jail, we're going to check, okay? Do you care to turn around for me real quick? And then >> Bailey, you need to explain to them >> Can you unlock your fingers for me? >> Can I give her my St. Christopher's medal really quick? >> I'll I'll take it off for you or I'll have her do it, okay? >> Did you explain to them that your trans? >> Yeah, and I told her Yeah, all that jail staff now. >> I will tell them the dogs are not locked up. I will tell P-Nut I will also text your mom and you will be up apparently tomorrow in court for your bond hearing. I'll be there. I love you, buddy. Take care. And >> Can you roll down the window so she can get some air? >> Yes, please. >> Okay. You can just follow me. Sorry. Yep. >> Do you have anything everything I need to know? >> Yeah, I'll let him >> He was all worried about it. >> Okay. All right, yeah. I'll get it. Not a You just got for that counter. Do you want a female and a male in here or Um so bio or biologically she's a female but on every call her record she's a male. >> Two male, right? Yeah, you're on your driver's license everything. Okay. While you're here then because you're biologically female, my female staff will do all the pat downs and searches, okay? You're going to be processed off whatever I have in here. What's the court paper say? >> It says female. >> Okay, so it says Yeah, I mean I'm processing you as I don't know what only it says female. So I have to do what the court says but don't worry. We'll walk you through the rest, okay? We want to hear you out, all right? >> You don't need me Do you have anything any serious medical issues or heart issues? Do you have any serious medical or mental health issues that require immediate attention? Anything you want to say to me face to face now or I'm going to ask a whole bunch of questions while I also keep your pants down, okay? But we'll take care of you. We're not going to let anything happen to you, all right? We're going to step out to the front of the counter and I'll search you but get your cuffs off. >> Yeah, that's fine. >> So endangering children and then false >> I know you know this. Nothing you say here is going to do anything worse for your mom or your dad, okay? We [snorts] have everything we need against them. So we're here today for you and I know I know you know this too but we think that this is something you were raised in. It was something that was sort of conditioned in you and I know you know, as well, that your mom was treated similarly. And I know she was abused as a child. And our concern here is that the cycle needs to end. So, we're here for you to give you an opportunity to kind of tell us what was going on in the house, how everything started, uh just what you observed, what you were a part of, and that sort of thing, so we can really kind of start this process of helping change that mindset and break the cycle. >> The people Bailey keeps calling his mom and dad are Charles and Matthew Edmondson, his adoptive parents. Matthew, despite the name, is the mother. The children he's describing are five younger brothers the couple fostered and adopted, most of them with serious disabilities. >> I know that P told you guys that he There was one time that he got >> [snorts] >> I don't know exactly what the floor was, but he he he fell. And then he got thrown downstairs. And P and I were falling off, and and then I would try to hide behind the couch. I just kept getting thrown off the couch a lot. I started wrestling when I was four or five. And when I lost a wrestling match, my mom wouldn't talk to me, and I would go up to Youngstown for state. And if I didn't make it past the first round, on the floor, I would drive back. >> [snorts] >> I would hide in the third row. I would become really scared. Or if you didn't get a good grade, he would just stop talking to us. So, I kind of didn't think anything of it. He used to throw me in the wheel as a punishment. And then that happened. Put me in the wheel. They wouldn't give it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. And as I guess I moved forward, they wouldn't They would let it sit till it was warm then after they become warm, you know, they would just run it under the faucet and then give it to the kids. >> Is that your mom and your dad? >> My my family dad was the one that told my mom and her to give it to him cuz it would plug him up because of all his defecation in the room and everything. And then he would get all of the water, cold water showers was used as a punishment. They weren't really showers. My mom and dad would take a cup and fill it with water and like just put it on their head and they would get two cups on that just to get them wet and then mom would rinse off. And I don't know if it was exactly timed, but she would just want to hurry up and clean herself fast. And she put the yellow ointment for it. >> What was that ointment for? What about water or drinks? Were Were those used as punishment? >> I know from meds that they were given like like a cough syrup cup just to take their meds. I don't know exactly if water was used as a punishment. I know they were on a schedule and that's what I was told that they were on like a the time schedule. I don't know what the water schedule was. They were cut off from water after they got their meds which was usually around 7:00 if we were at home. >> One of the other punishments that we've come across is that she would uh send one of the kids to school like in maybe a sweatshirt when it was really hot or without a coat when it was really cold. Is that something that you noticed? That's something that I noticed but if we can I know one thing that pops out in my head, it was the middle of winter. There was a lot of snow. And if they were having meltdowns in the car and they kicked their shoes and socks off, and they took their clothes off, but they would have to walk inside without them. So, they would be in the snow without them and they would just be cold, cold, cold all the way until the house was the same in the summer, spring, and fall. In the winter, that really stuck out. >> They put them in that bedroom as punishment. Did they get locked in there? >> It wasn't a lock on it. So, they would know. >> I don't want to know anything that you're told. I want to just know what you know. But, they got put in there as punishment. >> My dad told them, "You have to come out." So, if they had the key, my dad would tell them to stay in there. I can't remember if my mom told them to stay in there. If they had to go to the bathroom, I don't know that she told them to stay in there until they were done having their meltdown. >> What about overnight? >> They slept in there a lot. >> When you say slept in there, are there images of them sleeping in there on the floor with no clothes, no mattress, no pillow, no sheets? So, they probably weren't sleeping in there by choice, right? >> Did you know they didn't have mattresses, pillows, and sheets? They didn't really know the floor. And you think they were down there >> huddled on the floor like puppies? >> I don't know who did my artwork. >> So, this looks like 1:44 p.m. >> And you see there's no mattress down there. >> Is Is this how they dealt when they're frustrated and they couldn't manage? Did they just put them in that room with no clothes, no mattress? >> I don't know about the mattress, but I know that they were put down there. They would tell them to take off their clothes. But if they had a diaper, they could leave their diaper on. They would told them to go downstairs. >> When they were bad, that's what you're saying, right? >> Yeah. >> So, why are there so many photographs, images of nude on your mom and your dad's phone? >> I don't know that. They were for documentation purposes. You know, for William. And my mother told me he smeared. Like she documented it or if they if they were having a meltdown, they wanted to document it or if they they were hurting or they were banging their head on the wall. I'm not sure what. But they told you it's for documentation purposes. >> Is Matthew or Charles ever photographed you nude? >> I have. >> Never? >> I don't know. >> Is that peanut? >> This is one way you can tell. >> You know, I did a search on one of the storage units and collected some things. Um and some hard drives. Whose are the hard drives? >> I'm assuming they're my dad's. >> What if I told you the hard drive name name was W1 WF? >> My dad's. >> Why? >> That's [snorts] his call sign. >> And what else? Is that his also his license plate? >> Yeah. >> What do you think was on that those hard drives? >> I don't know. Cans of Coke. >> What? >> [snorts] >> I don't know what child. >> Yeah. >> I don't know what I would think of my dad like that. >> It's true. >> I don't know what I would think of him like >> [clears throat] >> I don't know why. >> [laughter] >> I don't know what he would do. >> That was wrong. >> I don't know. >> You have a mutual relationship. I don't know. >> [laughter] >> I'm sorry. I didn't believe you when you talked to me then. >> Don't be sorry. A lot of people like what I'm about to say. You're not the person you want to be the last. >> [sighs] >> I was worried that you had been touched and that's why I called you in here. >> [sighs] >> I really was. You don't have to apologize. Anything else from anybody? Do you have questions for us? And this is a tough day for you. Um stay strong and just you can love your mom. Just know that just know that she's protecting herself and she's out for herself. >> You have to keep your mom out of your reach. >> Trust people like Marissa, your attorney, >> your aunt, >> your aunt. Peanut, both you guys will fix that. This is just a very scary time for both of you. Trust your gut. You don't have to know what's wrong and know that your mom is your mom. She always will be, but she's manipulative. >> [snorts and sighs] >> Okay? If you need anything, Marissa is very good at getting a hold of us. Um so either way, Angela, Marissa, if you think of things you need to talk to us again, whatever, and then we are going to talk with Angela and figure out what next steps we're going to do with you, okay? So you can keep your head up, all right? >> None of this came to light because a neighbor made a call. It surfaced sideways through a separate criminal case against the father. And while investigators were building that case, they recovered hours of video from inside the home. The man in this next room is Charles. >> We need to know about the situation with in the basement, the eating. We've got videos. There's just There's an overwhelming amount of evidence, but still we don't have to testify about what they went through cuz they've already been so traumatized. You know, we've got a video of you kicking in the face. >> Huh? >> Which is really hard to watch. >> There's a lot. There's a lot. >> Yeah, you you kind of did this. >> kick the boy in the face. >> In the chest? >> Uh it was going to the ground and you kicked him and then you kicked him when he was on the ground. And we have a video of that. >> No, but he was he snuck a drink from the kitchen, like a little root beer. He was thirsty and he was naked. And then you saw that he had taken a drink and you kicked him. So, we have a lot of evidence against you. We just need to figure out what the heck was going on. Give us the picture. Like give us the grand picture. Like you met Matt. You guys got together. Um >> Matt represented Matt as a as male. >> Right. And you cuz you like men, which is fine. >> I'm gay. >> Right. But you married a woman. >> gay chat room. >> Right. And you met but you married her once you knew she was >> got pregnant. >> Okay. >> With Peanut. >> Okay. So, you met her thinking she was a a man. >> Correct. >> And at some point you figured out she was a woman. >> It was many months later we actually went to bed together. Usually we met at uh the Mohegan Sun Casino cuz Matt's mom gambled. >> Okay. Matt's mom is really not a nice lady. Yeah, we've heard it. >> So, we had to hide it from her. >> Okay. So, she Matt knew that you liked men. >> I didn't know she was in the gay chat room. >> And she pretended to be a man until you slept together. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. Okay. So, you guys had Peanut and then what? A year and a half, 2 years later had Bailey. >> Peanut. >> When was it that you guys decided to raise them as boys? >> I never did. >> You didn't? >> I mean, Matt gets on me when I use if I use the phrase her or if I say anything that they're female, I get it thrown at me to watch what I say. >> know why? Why does she want them to be raised as boys when they're girls? >> I don't know Matt's history cuz there's a lot of secrets that Matt won't tell me, but with Matt pretending to be a male, I've seen Matt's social security card, which makes me wonder and I had I've already asked, does that invalidate my marriage because Matt represented with a false name, it looks like cuz Matt's father and sister still refer to as Melissa. That's Matt's given name. >> Mhm. Okay, so that gives us some good history. When did you decide to start kids? >> Right after we got down here, Matt That was Matt's idea. Matt wanted boys and sometimes she gets mad at these guys cuz she wants a boy that does sports. We tried for sports. He wasn't that good. We tried soccer in Milford. did soccer down in Newtown. There's soccer fields at the bottom of Billy's been all male sports. Billy's really good at it, too. >> Wrestling, right? >> Nine times state. >> Yeah. >> But Billy Billy got up to third place one year. Really good. Billy can kick butt. And she would manipulate me and control my life and she micromanaged me. >> Yeah, I believe that. So, whose idea was it to send them to the basement into that like best The best way I can describe it is a dungeon. >> We tore up the carpet. Start tearing up those tiles. >> Where were the tiles? In the dungeon or somewhere else? >> Well, it's called a bedroom, but >> No, it's not a bedroom. It's a I mean, it's it's a metal bed frame, but that's not a bedroom. >> It used to bedroom and then >> the the bunk beds? >> Yes, ma'am. >> Okay, so then tearing up the tiles. >> had singles in there, too, but they kept getting um bowel movements on them and >> Do you know what was causing them to poop all the time? >> I've heard different things. I mean, I blame part of it on the oatmeal, but then he has a prolapsed rectum and you guys tried saying that I I did not. >> I don't remember saying that. >> What lots of Matt told me is that you guys were going to say that I abused him. >> Mhm. >> I did not, but he has a prolapsed rectum. >> No, we never said that. >> When they bang their heads, that's just some of your videos commented about a mark right here. We call it a unicorn. >> Yeah. >> They bang off of anything. In fact, we've shown cars, concrete. >> they do that. Kids do that when they're frustrated. They don't just bang because that's what they do. >> A lot of times we saw them escalate. >> sense. >> Well, no, they can with fragile X they can do it at at will. There's no warning that they're going to do it. But these guys, whenever we'd come around, if it wasn't like if it was They would amp up for 2 weeks. Our life got turned upside down. But there's no warning, but I don't understand because I would think that they would get a concussion by the way that they were banging, but that got taken away. That was about the time I moved out of the house. >> Were the helmets ever used for punishment? >> No, it was just for banging. It's you it That's not a punishment. >> So, some of the teachers reported that the helmets would be on too tight. Or which one was that? >> That was >> tight. >> As I told he taught me, just like you guys do with the handcuffs, if I can get two fingers under that strap, it's not too tight. He knew how to manipulate the situation. He didn't want the helmet on. >> One thing the footage won't tell you, by the time Charles sat down for this interview, he was already in custody on a separate case, which is why across all three of these interviews, each person keeps pointing at someone else. >> Okay, so things that you saw or heard Matt doing that concerned you, I mean, you know why you're locked up and why you're locked up for other things, but you know what the charges are here against you. You know what the charges are against Matt. Tell us about that. >> I'm curious why cuz I was out of the house for most of it. I was after this incident they put me out of the house. At first, I was allowed to go there when they weren't in the house. >> These videos are all from before that. I believe it was that Friday >> That was 2023, February 10th of '23. >> Well, okay, let's say this. You're not supposed to be in the house, but you are. We've got you on video. >> I don't know how I was there because I was not allowed there when they were there. >> Yeah, but you knew you were going there. Everybody knows you were going there. >> In the morning, I would get there. Matt would leave in the morning about 7:00 and there was one day I passed the car up at the corner of Matt's Huh? >> You would pass so you we know that you like snuck in a different way. You didn't pull in the front driveway. We know that there's a way >> way to get in there. There's only one way to get in. >> No, that's that's right. >> Yeah, you you snuck in. They were constantly driving by the house to try to catch you and they never caught you. >> were there. >> Were? >> And they never caught you. They found out later you'd park your truck somewhere and then you'd like walk into the back or something like that. I don't know the area, so I can't >> come in through Jefferson, didn't you? >> No, you can't. >> sack. >> No. >> You don't remember me, but years ago I used to see you. I remember when you ran off one time, I found him. I cut through the trail off of Jefferson and found his bike up there in the cul-de-sac. It leads you right to your house. >> Yeah. >> So, that's where you were sneaking >> If you go down that driveway, that's a pump station there. Don't go nowhere. >> Yeah, there's a trail that goes up to the >> Yeah, you have to park a way up on >> So, we we know that that's what you were doing. >> No, I never parked up there. >> Okay. You were in the house when you weren't supposed to be. >> No. See, initially >> We have you on video. >> Initially, I was allowed there when they weren't there. So, I would come at 7:00. I would leave by 11:30. >> You're on video there. >> I saw the two that said 2:00 and 4:00. It don't make no sense cuz I was always back in Milford. That was 2023. >> know is you were there on video with yelling >> It says it looks like me, but >> No, that's you. No, nobody says it looks like you. It's absolutely you. >> It does in the discovery. [clears throat] It says that. >> It's you. >> It it is you. >> I don't know how I was there because I would have no reason to be there in the afternoon. I was always there. >> And it was your voice and you were screaming. You were making them raise their arms and you said he's banging his head. Yeah, I'm not taking you to the hospital. I'm going to let you bleed out. >> I don't >> I'm going to let you bleed out. You bang your head again. I'm going to let you out. >> the 2020 video which I was in the house. >> You're in a a lot of these videos. So, okay. You knew about the room in the basement. You were locked there all night. >> They weren't locked, but I I That's one thing I No, they could because >> What happened when they got out? >> An alarm go off and that constantly cuz I guess it's a lock and I don't understand that because >> a physical lock, but essentially they were locked in and they couldn't get out. They knew that they were not allowed to leave. >> Because they would drink anything possible and >> Because they were thirsty. >> Well, no, that's have the same thing and I we never understood that. They all had the same trait. They would drink out of Matt's steaming Matt has a steamer thing that was in the living room for steaming clothes. She was really anal about steaming wrinkles. They would drink out of dog bowls and toilets and puddles. >> Dude, because from what we saw, they were not allowed to eat. They weren't allowed to drink. >> If >> If you have Matt's phone, look at all her text messages like when I would do lunches and dinners and if she wasn't in the house, I'd make sure I took a picture and I sent it to her. >> You ate cheese conies in front and didn't give them any. You guys grilled out hamburgers and didn't give them any. >> No, we did. >> I'm okay. >> We know that water was restricted. We know that there was >> Yes, Matt restricted to a med cup. >> Look, this is >> But I bought special ones. >> giving us background information. [clears throat] You haven't. But you got to be honest about all this stuff. We know we're starved. You saw them. We saw them. They looked like concentration camp. >> Their BMI, their um their growth charts they are flatlined even before They didn't start till late 2021. Their their baseline is uh is unmoved even before >> That was to most of their appointments. So I don't know what >> the appointments. It's what's going on. >> they were always measured I never knew about weights. >> You could see them. Anybody could see Their bones are sticking out of their bodies. >> But that I did have a problem with. >> Listen, can I Can you pull the picture? Here's the thing. Look, I We we have we have a ton of child to like >> I'm gay. >> Yours No, that that doesn't mean you can child. Like >> I didn't child. >> Well, you did actually, but >> No, ma'am. >> Yeah, you you did. Stop. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Let her speak. We have so much against you that you could go to what prison for the rest of your life. The rest of your life. This is we're doing this for you. So you have got to be honest with us. Look at I mean look at them. They're so skinny. Like people cry when they look at these pictures. So don't tell us that Don't tell us you didn't know. They weren't being fed. They weren't getting water. They were in a dungeon. They had to sleep in their own feces. They slept like a little pile of puppies because they were so cold. >> I don't know how Nick would have fed them, but I always fed them. But >> You ate You ate I I know this. I I may not remember all the facts like Nick does. I may not remember all the kids' names. One of the kids said you ate cheese coneys in front of them and gave them nothing. So, as far as you knew they were allowed to get in their to the refrigerator and get food whenever they wanted to. >> No, they couldn't get in there by themselves. They for choking reasons. >> What? They're like nine. >> They don't have common sense. I don't Matt would never let them I would bring I call it special water. If you had uh Walmart sells these tall bottles, but it's a little bit thinner with flavored water in it that they like. >> I just Yeah, like where are the ones where they're chained up to the bed there? >> was your phone? >> You guys kept all these videos. You kept all these screenshots. >> a lot of things. >> Yeah. Well, I Why did you keep it? In case you needed it in the future? >> Cuz she was holding stuff over my head. >> [clears throat] >> She threatened to go about me about how close we had become. >> I didn't know that. >> I didn't want that getting out. >> Yeah, I can I can see why. So, she was holding it over your head and you were holding this stuff over her head. Is that >> Kind of like uh >> You were protecting yourself. >> nuclear treaty. It's You You're not trying to convince anybody in here that you're a good person. >> agree with what I That That ship sailed, all right? Quit trying to do it, all right? Who You shouldn't care what we all think about you. So, quit trying to sell it to us that you're some kind of good person and that Matt's the evil one here, okay? We don't buy it. Tell these people what they're trying to ask for so we can get on with this, all right? Cuz we want to know why. >> As far as I know, they were eating. I made sure I fed them. I can't speak for what Matt >> them? >> Please? >> What did you feed them? >> What I was trying to say before is if you look at Matt's phone, when I did meals, if if Matt was not around, I made sure I sent as a text, so you should have access to anything that I did. >> me. I don't need to look at your texts. Tell me, what did you feed them? >> For lunches, I bought these uh blue lunch boxes. They have compartments in them. They get one and a half sandwiches. Get three to four sandwiches. >> you eat at home? With you. What about school? Not in the lunch box. What did you put on a dinner plate where they sat and ate? Meats, potatoes, vegetables. But a lot of the meals that we did that I learned at SCDC is a resident can have as many fruits and vegetables as you want. We only limited to one meat portion. Not more than one meat portion. But the plates were always full with adults. SCDC. Adults. Not State School Development. We had 14, 16 year olds there. A couple of them. They were special cases. >> Same point. Same point. His point is these kids >> But the portions that were on the plates I thought was adequate for like you're saying >> Did you ever touch in any way like their genitals? >> No. >> Never? >> into that. >> Yes you are. What are you talking about? >> I'm gay. But not with a not with a little boy. >> are. I saw your child Your your your boys are all supposed to be 18 on the website. on, dude. You were starting to [ __ ] when he was a child. >> [ __ ] >> Yes you did. Yes you did. Yes you did. Yes you >> about AOP, no ma'am. >> I don't know what AOP is. I know that you gave him a He gave you one and you put your dick in his ass. >> No ma'am. >> Okay. Thank you so much. Alex, thank you. I'm I'm done. You can't even be honest about that. >> So I we know through talking with your sister and we know that there was a lot of trauma in your home. What can you tell us about that with regard to your mother? >> Um she yelled a lot. She told me my job was to take care of her because she was handicapped. >> Was she actually handicapped? >> Yes. She had lupus erythematosus. Her hands were really deformed from her disease. And she ended up passing away I think about three three years ago. >> Was she had a physical with you? >> She would yell. Oh, she used to pull our hair. >> This is Matthew, the mother. In her own interview, she doesn't so much as deny what happened as hand the worst of it to Charles while describing a childhood of her own that she says set all of it in motion. >> She had long nails. She used to pinch us. >> She ever punished you by making you stand in a corner? >> Yeah, we used to kneel. >> You know, where to like just where in the house somewhere? >> Yeah, or in the corner or >> Did you have to raise your hands? >> Yes. >> Why would you get that punishment? What had you What would you do that would prompt her to do those things? >> Mhm, it could be anything that, you know, I didn't clean something the right way. Or she was just having a bad day. >> Okay. >> When was the decision made to, I guess, dress them more in boys' clothing and to treat them as boys? >> I noticed that they were I guess when they were younger, like three four. >> You noticed what? >> They would play more with I had a variety of of toys and they gravitated more towards like the fire trucks and instead of the dolls and I didn't want to I felt that I was pushed and I didn't want to push them, but I guess maybe I didn't encourage. >> You felt that you were pushed to what? >> To be a girl. Rather with my past with my uncle. I it just made me feel disgusting and it made me not want to accept who I was. >> Is it your mom's brother? >> Yes. >> And he raped you, right? >> Yes. And then she used to tell me how much I liked it. >> I'm sorry that happened to you. So, and naturally you didn't want to identify with the female because the female got Okay. You're not the first person I've heard say that and you won't be the last. >> It just felt really gross. >> Did you feel like maybe you put that idea on the the girls? Because of what you had experienced. >> I think maybe that I didn't want anything to happen to them. >> To protect them maybe. >> maybe that I pushed more and then I noticed that they were just gravitating and I didn't push. I don't feel nothing happened to them and then I was able maybe to keep them more safe that way. >> Just kind of looping back to the punishment. How often did [clears throat] you you use a belt on the kids? >> Maybe two or three times. >> Was the last one with Peanut? >> Yes. >> Then what happened on that one? >> Peanut, I think, didn't clean Peanut's room or something. Or was it that grade? I can't remember what it was. >> Then what happened? What What caused it to stop? >> I just felt like maybe I was turning into my mom. >> And then that one it left marks. >> Um um it was on Peanut's rear end but it went up a little on Peanut's back. >> Did you tell him to hide the marks? >> Told Peanut to keep his shirt >> To hide the marks from school, teachers, nurses? >> Didn't say anything about the nurse. I just said keep the shirt on and don't say anything. >> And were they were they showers or were you using like ice water from a cup at that point? >> Shower. >> The shower, okay. >> Did you ever use ice in the shower to make it colder? >> Ice in the shower. >> Like throw ice from a cup like cold water >> Like pouring ice and water over the head. Maybe they were standing in the shower, but instead of it coming from the faucet >> cold water. >> Never ice? >> No. >> Okay. >> Out of a cup. >> No. >> Okay, cold water from the shower. >> Or the sink. >> How did you get the sink water on them if you didn't use a cup? >> You said ice in a cup. >> And then I said or water in a cup. >> Okay, so cold water from a cup and you poured it. Good. >> Just no ice. You either [clears throat] use a cup or you'd use the shower. >> Got it. >> I don't have too many follow-up questions, but Do you have any follow-up questions before we get to the matter here? So, what Let's get to it. So, you know why you're here. >> When did you When did you discover that Chuck had a relationship? >> Um like I said, there was poop all over the place and both of them were covered in poop. And I said I didn't want to clean it. And he went downstairs and he took his board and he And that wasn't the first time he He would say he would board their asses. >> Why didn't you tell us that? >> Cuz he said he'd hurt me. He threatened me on numerous occasions. He's hit me with that board. He's hit me on the back of my head with that board. He told me that he would take his house the house work that I ended up finding out and I got really upset and I ended up talking to Julie that the house was not in my name. It was only in his name. And he had told me multiple times to get the [ __ ] out of his house, go back to Connecticut where I belong, and leave him with the kids. >> So, as Detective Ross was kind of saying earlier, um >> I was wrong. >> He paints a picture Chuck paints a picture that you held his head like I'll go to the police, I'll ruin in life, and in return he held all the stuff with the boys over your head and you kind of were just like basically standing here facing, you know, it's like who's going to press the button first with the atomic bomb. That's That's a picture he paints. Is that I mean >> No. >> If I did >> Like I said, and after I ended up finding out the incident with him >> Yeah. >> Yes, I told, you know, he had a picture on his uh Facebook. He locked his computer. He locked me out of everything. That's not the way Chuck was. He was very open. He would I He would leave his phone on the on the counter. I would pick it up. He locked everything. I couldn't get into the computer. >> Or after what? When did he When did he start locking things? Was after the police told you about >> No, a little before that. He was starting to get very secretive. >> Okay. >> He Like I said, he was very open. Like we could go into each other's phones. Uh he would put like tracking devices on my phone, on the Peanut and Billy's phone. Um I didn't have a phone when he lived with us. He didn't get a phone until he left the house. The night after I bailed him out again, I didn't want to believe that because, you know, I guess I was insecure and I was scared and you know, what he was going to do and all the threats he had previously made to me. >> Well, that doesn't make sense. I mean, I got to stop you there. If you were scared of him, why would you bond him out of jail? >> Because he's >> He's in jail on serious charges. He's not getting out. You posted a lot of money to bond him out. I don't believe that you were scared. >> I was. >> I mean, if you told me that you loved him, then I would believe that, but I don't believe that you were scared of him. Cuz if you're scared of somebody, you don't bond them out and them back in your home. You'd be thinking I finally got a break from this guy. He was beating me. >> I guess I didn't want to believe that. I did love him. I did I did love him. I did I loved him with all my heart. I wanted to believe that he was going to change. He told me and you know like when he said the thing about being downstairs. You know I didn't say anything and I should have. When you came to the house I didn't say anything and I should have. Because my job was to protect them and I didn't. >> It was more than just not saying things. I have videos of you hiding things. You guys had an elaborate surveillance system in your home. And you saved everything. So there's videos of and you would be telling them what to say, what not to say and things like that. Right? So it's more than just uh you were actually actively concealing things. >> I thought you So you went out to California in August of '21. And >> I was supposed to go back in December. >> Okay. All right. So but there was an incident at school with Chuck and where >> That is an adult. >> Mhm. Um so tell me about that. >> Um in his head. And the doctors multiple doctors their behavioral therapist said if they're banging to keep their helmet until they're at least 24 hours safe. So we did that but there were times uh his helmet off and throw it. We put the it was like a Velcro strap put it through like the ear to make it go like that. >> Make it tighter? >> To make it tighter. >> Yes. >> To make it >> than it was designed to be? >> Yes. >> Did you yell at him and because he told the nurse at school about what had happened? >> Yes. >> It's on video. >> Yes. So then he goes home that night and he comes back the next day. >> And >> His eyes are swollen and he said he got pee like rubbed in his eyes. What What is he talking about? Why were his eyes swollen? >> He Chuck took his diaper. >> He what? >> Chuck took his diaper his pull-up and rubbed it in his face and said he called him a whole bunch of names and then I had cleaned him up and he was just really upset. >> And then you guys >> Anything in the diaper? >> Yes, there was poop and pee in his diaper. >> What about bleach? >> You guys ever use bleach in his eyes? >> No. >> Did you take photographs of this of him with feces on his face? >> Yes, I took I took a photo of his smearing. Yes, I did and I showed I brought it to his doctors. >> Look at the face. His face was terrible. We saw pictures and it's terrible. >> Wait, is that I'm confused. >> No, you're the Um he went to school the next day. >> Is that the one [clears throat] >> No, this So they took pictures of him with his swollen eyes. >> Okay. Either way, you knew what was going on. >> Yes. >> You had videos. You had seen it live. You had communicate with the boys over the intercom what he's going to get and played for you and you can explain how that's not your voice. You were sleeping at night while they were down there freezing, hungry, thirsty, screaming, and sitting in poop. >> Yes. >> Who locked them in the room? And when I say locked, I mean closed the door and told them not to come out. Not saying that necessarily someone put a physical lock on the door. >> no locks on the door. >> I'm not saying that, but who would keep keep them in that room? >> Initially it was Initially it was Chuck, and then I just went and I and there would be nights that they would sleep and they'd get up at 2:00 in the morning. I would go and I would put them downstairs. >> Was it because you felt overwhelmed taking care of five special needs kids? >> Yes. Of course. >> All right. So, the computer belongs to Chuck. >> Yes. >> Um did you ever use the computer or store anything on it? >> No, I couldn't get it. He wouldn't let me have touch his computer. He'd bring it everywhere. He'd carry it everywhere with him. >> So, you didn't save any files to the computer? There was also a hard case and a lock a locked hard case in the storage unit by the computer. Um who did that belong to? >> I don't know. >> Don't know? >> I don't know what lock case I had. I had brought some Christmas totes in there. All of my All of my big Halloween >> But not you. >> No. >> Okay. >> No, just my Halloween stuff. >> And if I told you that in that lock case there were some hard drives, some memory memory sticks, a lot of memory sticks and cards and stuff. >> in his in his work bag there was you know, when you go to the store they have the white Band-Aid boxes, the travel Band-Aid boxes. He had one of those with um >> Thumb drives and memory cards and stuff. >> like like 50 little cards, like 50 of them. >> And what if I told you that they were named like you could if you plug that into a computer and on the screen it had a name, the the license plate, the W1. >> He used that for everything. >> Whose Whose do you think that would belong to if it was named that? >> Chuck. >> All right. So, on those hard drives, there was a massive amount of child Who Who does that belong to? >> Chuck. >> Um there were also there there was also a file of nude photos of you. >> He talked about that. He would record >> A lot. And you were sleeping? >> He made me very upset. There was one time we were still This was before we were still together. Only Um he recorded us having and I ended up seeing the camera and I just got really upset because I felt really uncomfortable. I felt really violated. Um >> [clears throat] >> he would record everything. >> Um we would like to take like just a few minutes to talk out there cuz like we don't want to have to do this again, right? So, we're just going to talk for a few minutes out there and make sure we've covered everything. We've covered a lot. I think we have. Um so, is that okay? Can you guys step >> Absolutely. If you'd be so kind as to turn off the recorder, that'll give us some privacy as well. >> In the end, almost none of this reached a jury. In December of 2024, both parents took a plea deal. Matthew Edmonson pleaded guilty to five counts of child endangering and was sentenced to 13 years in prison, the same Matthew who'd been held on a $500,000 bond while the case was still open. Charles Edmonson pleaded guilty to three counts of child endangering, one count of felonious assault, and one count of kidnapping, and he was sentenced to 15 years, time that stacks on top of a sentence he was already serving in that separate case. Between them, the two had been facing the possibility of more than 200 years in prison. The judge who signed off on the deal was Richard Fearing. Bailey, the young man arrested at the start of the video, didn't end up facing the felonies he was first indicted on. He pleaded guilty to misdemeanor child endangering and was sentenced to probation. He'd grown up in that house, too, under the same roof. And by his own account, the same punishments he sat there describing to detectives. Whatever he did to the younger ones, he learned it somewhere. The five brothers at the center of all of this were removed from the home months before any of these arrests. They were adopted, and they're special needs kids, which means they were never invisible. They'd been placed by an agency. They'd been seen over and over and over by the doctors who treated their injuries, and by the staff at the schools they attended. And at least one of them tried to tell someone, "Something is happening at home." Today, those five are reportedly in new placements, and by the accounts of the people now responsible for them, are finally doing well. So, here's what this case leaves open. These children were known to the system, fostered, adopted, hospitalized, enrolled in school, and it still went on for years inside a house that from the street looked exactly like everyone else's. The question isn't only how two parents could do this, it's how many adults were close enough to see what was going on, and what it would have taken for just one of them to look a little bit harder. If you've stayed with us through this one, you already know why we don't skip these cases that are hard to watch. Subscribe, and we'll keep telling the ones that deserve to be remembered.