In Eagle Mountain, Mary Heath and Sekoa Aiono are charged with nine counts of child abuse and one charge of aggravated sexual abuse of a child. The alleged child abusers were arrested October 14 after the young boy and girl were rescued by police. A concerned neighbor found the girl barely dressed in her backyard. The child informed the neighbor that she escaped through a bathroom window of her home where she was held prisoner. The girl told neighbors that her brother was still locked up in the home. The 9 year-old girl weighed 38 pounds at the time of her rescue. Her brother weighed 43 pounds. When he was found, he was barely alive with a slow pulse, curled up in a fetal position on the bathroom floor. The children have been admitted to Primary Children’s Medical Center in Salt Lake City. The alleged child abuser, Mary Heath, is the aunt of both children.
If you suspect child abuse is happening with someone you know or are acquainted with, call the local county Child Protective Service (CPS) hotline and report your suspicions. The CPS social workers will investigate the complaint and your call will remain anonymous. They will not disclose who made the complaint. They have the tools to investigate the child’s environment. You do not need to investigate before you report. Don’t hesitate to call; you may save a life by not waiting.
