3-year-old in duct tape torture case with grandmother

Grandmother has girl, 3; counseling is set; mom is accused of using duct tape on her daughter.

HARRISON TWP., Montgomery County — The 3-year-old child authorities believe was tortured with duct tape — an incident recorded as a cell phone video — will receive counseling for emotional injuries, the child’s grandmother said.

The child’s paternal grandmother, a 52-year-old nurse’s aide living in a Harrison Twp. apartment, now has custody of her. She requested that her name not be disclosed to protect her and her granddaughter’s privacy.

“She is in a very loving home,” the grandmother said. “It gets overwhelming at times. I don’t want her to see me cry. I cry more than her. She went through a lot, and I don’t know what else she went through.”

Two were indicted June 21 on felony charges related to the incident, including the girl’s mother, Sherry Allender, 22.

Also indicted was her friend, Charles J. Jones, Jr., 26.

Both were indicted on counts of complicity to commit abduction (through restraint) and complicity to commit endangering children (through torture). Both charges are third-degree felonies, punishable by up to five years in state prison.

The indictment said the abuse occurred April 17 at a home in the 1200 block of Central Park in Kettering.

The two duct-taped the girl’s wrists, legs and mouth, prosecutors said. The couple, who had been drinking, then video-recorded the abuse using a cellular phone.

At one point, Jones rips the tape off the girl’s mouth, causing her to scream in pain. The grandmother said the video included laughs from the adults and threats for a longer duct-taping the next time.

“I am just wondering what was on their mind,” the grandmother said.

“I haven’t spoken to her. I can’t because of my rage. I have seen them going back and forth to court. I have to pray to myself to hold my tongue and my hands. As of a couple of days ago, I forgave them, but I won’t forget. Only God can judge them. I think it’s a very heinous crime.”

The grandmother discovered the video on a phone sold to her son by the accused couple.

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