RIVERVIEW, Fla. — A woman and her child were rescued from an abusive husband and his parents, who allegedly flew from India to help the man beat her, according to USA Today.
The story was first reported WTSP-TV in Tampa.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s department said they were called to a home at 6:30 Saturday morning after being told a woman had called her parents in India and told them she was being beaten and held against her will by her husband and his parents.
The caller told police the woman might have been scared to talk to law enforcement due to cultural traditions.
Police said that when deputies arrived at the home, the occupants refused to answer the door or acknowledge the deputies’ presence.
A deputy continued to knock at the door as other officers waited for a supervisor to arrive. Eventually, a 33-year-old woman suddenly attempted to open the door and screamed for the deputy to save her and her child.
The deputy forced the door open, and was allegedly confronted by the victim’s husband, Devbir Kalsi, 33, who attempted to push the door closed. The deputy forced his way into the home and was arrested Kalsi when he was confronted by Kalsi’s father, Jasbir, 67, and mother, Bhupinder, 62.
When additional deputies arrived, they found the victim was badly beaten, with bruises over her entire body. Her one-year-old daughter was found, apparently unharmed.
An investigation revealed that Devbir Kalsi had called his parents in India and said his wife was being disobedient. The parents allegedly flew to Florida to assist their son in counseling and disciplining her.
Deputies say the parents allegedly helped hold the victim and her child against their will, held a knife to her throat, and took her phone so she couldn’t call for help.
Devbir Kalsi was charged with false imprisonment, felony battery, child abuse and denying access to 911. His father was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, child abuse and denying access to 911. His mother was charged with battery-domestic violence and failure to report child abuse.
