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ROY — A Roy couple licensed to provide foster care were charged Tuesday with severely abusing three boys they adopted, including hogtying the children, putting duct tape over their mouths and locking them in their rooms for hours at a time, according to court records.

Matthew Earl Waldmiller, 40, and his wife, 41-year-old Diane Seifert Waldmiller, were each charged with three counts of child abuse, a second-degree felony, in 2nd District Court.

On March 17, the Division of Child and Family Services received a complaint about a foster home, 5845 S. 2450 West, in Roy where four children reside.

"The complaint alleged that the parents tie the children to their beds and lock them into a bedroom at 6 p.m. through the night. The report alleged the children cannot drink water after 2 p.m. Furthermore, it was reported the children were taken out of school," according to charging documents.

On March 22, a DCFS caseworker visiting the home found three boys, ages 11, 10 and 7. There was no lightbulb in the light fixture in the boys' room, court documents state.

"The heater vent had been covered so that no ventilation entered the room. The only exterior window to the room was painted black and screwed shut so it would not open. The door locked from the outside," the charges state.

The children told the DCFS employee that "they are locked in the room nightly, with hands secured with zip ties, faces taped with tape, and the 7- and 10-year-old reported to wear diapers. The children further disclosed that they have to exit through their window to 'dumpster dive' at a local elementary to get food," according to charging documents.

The next day, a Roy police detective went to the house and in the boys' room and noticed "the room and carpet had a strong odor of feces and urine. Black mold was observed on the baseboards," the charges state.

The 7-year-old later told police that "he was taped with a yellow tape over his eyes, mouth, hands by Matthew and Diane. He stated this happened 300 times. He stated that his hands have been zip tied on his wrists like handcuffs more than one time. He stated that his brothers have their hands zip tied behind their backs," according to charging documents.

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Roy foster parents arrested for abusing 3 sons, police say A husband and wife who have been licensed to provide foster care in Utah since 2013 have been arrested for investigation of abusing their sons.

The 10-year-old told investigators that he "has to perform physical exercises to earn food and to read," and that he has to sneak out of the house to get food, according to charging documents. If he cries, he told police that his clothes are taken away and thrown out, the charges state.

"The 11-year-old disclosed that he and his brothers are given 'night pills' to sleep. He stated that he and his brothers have been hit with a 2x4 piece of wood on the 'butt.' He disclosed that Diane hits him on the nose and causes it to bleed," according to the charges.

The 11-year-old also stated that he was caught dumpster diving once and was "forced by his father to eat rice with cayenne and salt on it as punishment. He stated he is not allowed to drink after 6 p.m. He further described that he was zip tied in a 'hogtie' style and put in a suitcase for a month period of time," the charges state.

The three boys were examined by medical personnel who found various injuries, such as edema on one boy's legs, various bumps, bruises, "pressure sores" on one boy's hands and ligature marks, according to the charges.

"All three children had bald spots on their scalp and were underweight according to the nurse practitioner," the charges state.

After being interviewed by police, the Waldmillers said they had locked all three boys in their bedroom for numerous hours without breaks, tied all three children’s wrists with zip ties and sometimes behind their backs, covered their faces with duct tape so only their noses were exposed, and caused possible hair loss by pulling the duct tape off, the charges state.

The Waldmillers have been licensed as foster care providers since August 2013. At the time of their arrests, they were in good standing with no agency actions against them.

According to their Facebook pages, the couple adopted three boys in October 2015, and they were fostering a 2-year-old girl when they were arrested. There is no evidence the girl suffered any abuse, according to police.

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