On Dec. 27, Clermont County Prosecuting Attorney Mark J. Tekulve announced that Matthew Robert Edmonson and Charles Robert Edmonson entered a plea of guilty in court this morning for the cruel abuse and torture they inflicted upon their 5 adopted children, who were all biological siblings.

Matt Edmonson pled guilty to five counts of Child Endangering, for an agreed 13 years in prison.

Charles Edmonson pled guilty to three counts of Child Endangering, one count of Felonious Assault and one count of Kidnapping, for an agreed 15 years in prison.

As detailed in a previous press release, the five children, who are all biological siblings, were originally brought to this married couple as foster children. They were eventually adopted by the pair.

The children had been in and out of the hospital for various reasons, including: bruising, potential internal bleeding, and failure to thrive, all of which were explained away by mother, Matthew and father, Charles.

These five boys were born with many medical issues, and instead of being nurtured and cared for properly, they were traumatized and treated inhumanely. After law enforcement discovered videos of the boys being held in a “bedroom” that can best be described as a dungeon, Assistant Prosecuting Attorneys Christina Dattilo and Nicholas Horton presented upgraded charges to the grand jury as to both Matthew and Charles Edmonson. Criminal charges got worse for the Edmonsons. These horrific videos exposed the Edmonsons’ lies, as well as provided insight into the full spectrum of cruelty endured by these five boys.

These videos sparked further investigation, which revealed even more explicit videos and images, but most importantly, they provided a complete picture of how these boys were forced to live over the years. This broad view, along with the haunting depictions of these boys being held naked, cold, tied up to a metal bed frame, and without food and water for hours on end, gave insight into the extent of the trauma these boys suffered at the hands of the parents.

With a joint effort between the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office, Clermont County Children’s Protective Services and the Clermont County Prosecutor’s Office, we were able to get these boys into new living situations, where they are thriving. The monstrous acts they were subjected to will no longer be a barrier to their development. While they will likely need mental health intervention the rest of their lives, physically and emotionally they are flourishing.

“I want to thank all the school staff, neighbors, family and doctors who came forward and willingly gave interviews to my Prosecutors. Everyone’s persistence kept these kids on CPS’s radar and undoubtedly helped to prevent further abuse. Teachers are the first line of defense for children who are being abused or neglected. Your role in the protection of children is extremely important.” – Mark J. Tekulve