Machelle Hobson’s adoptive children claim that the Youtube star allegedly pepper-sprayed them, forced them to take ice baths & locked them in a closet.
YouTube star Machelle Hobson, 48, was arrested on Mar. 15 after a welfare check was made at her house in Maricopa, Arizona, according to ABC News. Her seven adoptive children have claimed to authorities that they were allegedly physically abused by her. When authorities arrived at the Hobson residence for a welfare check, Maricopa Police officers found the children appearing “to be malnourished, due to their pale completion, dark rings under their eyes, underweight, and they stated they were thirsty and hungry,” according to the probable cause statement.
While one of the children police spoke to “was visibly nervous, shaking, and it appeared she was too scared to answer any questions,” according to the probable cause statement, two other children told police of the alleged abuse. One of those children told authorities that Hobson would allegedly pepper-spray her and her six siblings, spank them, and force them to take ice baths. The child also claimed Hobson once allegedly pepper-sprayed her between her legs. She also claims that she was allegedly locked in a closet for days without food or water, and was made to wear a diaper because she was not allowed to go to the bathroom.
Another of Hobson’s adoptive children told authorities, “I either get beat with a hanger or belt,” “or a brush,” “or get pepper-sprayed from head to toe,” according to the probable cause statement. He also claimed that Hobson would allegedly grab his genitals and, on multiple occasion, pinch him with her fingernails until he started bleeding. The children also claimed to authorities that Hobson would punish them for forgetting their lines in her Youtube videos, or if they failed to follow her directions.
Hobson was booked with two child molestation counts, seven child abuse counts, five unlawful imprisonment counts and five child neglect counts. On top of that, her two biological children, Logan Hackney and Ryan Hackney, were each booked with seven counts of failing to report child abuse, before being released on their own recognizance.
Logan Hackney allegedly told police that the kids were locked in the closet for long stretches of time, that he was aware of the pepper spray and ice bath punishments, and that he observed the injuries the children suffered and heard their screams and cries, according to the complaint. While the adoptive children told authorities that Ryan would slip food inside the closet when they were allegedly locked inside, Logan claims he talked about reporting this alleged child abuse with Ryan on one occasion. Hobson has denied these allegations, but reportedly admitted that she grounded, spanked and put her kids in a corner as punishment. Her Youtube page has since been taken down.
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