EAST BERLIN, Pa. — An Adams County couple was charged with endangering the welfare of children and related offenses after authorities claim they physically and mentally abused the foster children in their care over a period of years.
Steve Selby, 54, and Kelly Selby, 50, both of East Berlin, were charged on February 16 by State Police Trooper Alexander Loder, who responded to their Latimore Township home after receiving a report of suspected child abuse by the boyfriend of one of their foster children, according to the criminal complaint affidavit.
One of the household members told Loder that the couple had adopted her and her siblings, and repeatedly subjected them to physical, emotional, and mental abuse, though the primary target was her 13-year-old brother, whose identity was withheld in the complaint.
According to police, the Selbys would use a variety of physical punishments on the 13-year-old victim whenever he did something "wrong," though the punishments "exceeded what normal punishments would be."
Some of the examples cited by investigators include, but are not limited to:
- Kelly Selby would force the victim to keep his hands on the while while she beat him with a wooden spoon "until her wrists got tired."
- Kelly Selby punched and kicked the victim
- The victim would be forced to sit on wooden stairs for hours at a time
- Meals would often be withheld from the victim as a form of punishment
- The couple removed the victim's bed from the room he shared with his brother as a form of punishment and said he would have to "earn" the return of items like blankets, pillows and the mattress, though his siblings were unable to discern what he would have to do in order to earn those items
- If the victim "stared" at Steven Selby too long, Steven Selby would punch and kick him
The rest of the family knew what was happening to the victim was wrong, but said they never contacted authorities out of fear of retaliation and concerns over whether anyone would believe them, according to the complaint.
When questioned by police, the couple allegedly admitted to using physical punishment on their children, but denied that it should be constituted as child abuse. The couple allegedly said they were "raised in a different time" and seemed to believe the level of punishment they inflicted on the victim was justified, according to Loder.
In addition to child endangerment, both Selbys are charged with simple assault and harassment, according to the complaint.
The couple was arraigned on February 17, and transported to Adams County Prison after failing to post bail of $10,000 each.
