RED WING, Minn. — A Red Wing wife and husband are facing more than a dozen criminal counts each, accused of locking their children in cages and subjecting them to repeated physical and mental abuse.
Christina Ann Cotton, age 28, and Benjamin Taylor Cotton, age 30, each face 16 charges ranging from child torture and malicious punishment of a child to neglect. The alleged victims are their four kids, three boys ranging in age from 3 to 7 and a daughter who is 9.
A criminal complaint outlines the allegations against the Cottons, which began with a report to Goodhue County Health and Human Services on Aug. 17 of 2022. The caller reported concern about the safety of the four children and the erratic behavior of their mother, Christina Cotton.
On Aug. 18, a Red Wing police officer and a Goodhue County social worker went to the home at approximately 9:30 a.m. and were met at the door by Christina Cotton. When asked where the children were, Cotton reportedly led the responders to a main floor bedroom where they found the three boys locked up in makeshift cages. The youngest was in a playpen covered by what appeared to be a heavy dog gate that was tied down so the child could not escape.
The two older boys were trapped inside a bunk bed that had been turned into a cage with plywood slats that left them unable to get out. The police sergeant noted that the cage was so small neither boy had the ability to stand up.
When asked how long they had been locked up, one told the officer since around 8:30 p.m., meaning they had been in the cage for a minimum of 13 hours before authorities arrived.
Police Sergeant Nick Sather told Christina Cotton it was not acceptable for her to lock her children in cages. She reportedly responded by telling the officer she needed to lock the boys up to prevent them from dying, explaining they could get into household chemicals or grab a knife. The sergeant said Cotton told him other safety options like door alarms and child-proof locks would not work.
The couple's 9-year-old daughter was found downstairs. She allegedly told the social worker that their mom and dad “don’t want them talking about trouble” and that she was instructed, “Don’t mention about it, keep it in the family, keep it in the house."
Investigators say the caging of the children had been going on for approximately four years.
All four children were taken to Red Wing Mayo Clinic for exams where doctors found extensive bruising and marks from being duct-taped. The girl had long, linear marks which are said to be consistent with being struck by an object like a belt.
Court documents say the children were then examined by medical staff at the Midwest Children’s Resource Center located at Children’s Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota. Licensed Psychologist Vicki Nauschultz was consulted about the potential emotional harm associated with maltreatment reportedly sustained by the four children including being confined in makeshift bed cages for 13-14 hours, being hit with belts/objects, withholding food, and withholding use of bathroom overnight.
Nauschultz called it “severe abuse,” going well beyond what is typically viewed medically as physical and/or emotional abuse. She told investigators that the case could fit the category of abuse of “Intrafamilial Child Torture.”
Both Christina and Benjamin Cotton appeared in court Tuesday, with bond being set at $50,000 with conditions and $500,000 without. Their next hearing is scheduled for July 12.
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