Couple indicted on child abuse

By Staff
Melissa Cason
A Russellville couple was arrested Wednesday afternoon and charged with child abuse after subjecting their three children to torturous living conditions, officials said.
Jason Reiter, 24, and his wife, Cassandra Reiter, 23, both of 100 Town and Country Lot D-6, Russellville, have each been charged with three counts of child abuse, Franklin County Sheriff Larry Plott said.
Investigators began looking into the case after being notified by the Franklin County Department of Human Resources.
According to the indictment, the couple allegedly locked the children in a room for extended periods of time, confining them without water, food and bathroom facilities.
Investigators said the couple used drugs inside the residence while the children were locked up.
Franklin County District Attorney Joey Rushing said that all cases involving children should be looked into seriously.
"Any time a child is involved, it is something this office and local authorities work together on quickly," Rushing said.
Officials are unsure what time period the abuse went on for.
Child abuse is a Class C felony, punishable by one year and one day to 10 years in prison for each count, if convicted.
The couple remains in the Franklin County Jail pending a $20,000 bond.