RED WING, Minn. — A Red Wing couple pleaded guilty to child torture Wednesday after authorities found their four children locked in cages inside their home back in 2022.
Christina Ann Cotton, 39, and Benjamin Taylor Cotton, 42, each pleaded guilty to one count of child torture, and in return, will have all other charges be dismissed. A sentencing date is scheduled for Dec. 13, 2024.
The Goodhue County Health and Human Services received a report on Aug. 17, 2022 from a caller concerned about the safety of the four children, who were between the ages of 3 and 9.
Officials say a Red Wing police officer and a Goodhue County social worker went to the home the following day at approximately 9:30 a.m. and were met at the door by Christina Cotton. When asked where the children were, Christina Cotton reportedly led the responders to a main floor bedroom where they found 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.
Court documents stated 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, officers were told 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.”
