Del. DOJ indicts Kent Co. couple on 646 charges for serial child abuse

September 14, 2022

Sarah Ash,

KENT CO., Del. – The Delaware Department of Justice has indicted a Kent County couple on a total of 646 charges, including over 80 felonies, for abusing their two children.

Officials say over a period of 20 months, 45-year-old Mary Vinson and 36-year-old Charles Vinson are alleged to have abused their children, including making them stand for long periods of time, withholding food, force feeding them, and physically assaulting them.

We’re told both children were hospitalized several times due to the severity of the abuse, which was caught on video by cameras the parents placed in the children’s room. The children have both since been transferred into the custody of the Division of Family Services.

Attorney General Kathy Jennings released the following statement on the case:

“These are the cases that keep us up at night. The evidence in this case is disturbing and my prayers are with the victims who, thank God, are somewhere safe. We will seek swift and complete justice against the accused; nothing matters more than protecting our kids.”

Charles Vinson has been charged with the following:

6 counts of first degree child abuse
12 counts of second degree conspiracy
9 counts of endangering the welfare of a child
2 counts of second degree reckless endangerment
2 counts of third degree conspiracy
2 counts of first degree kidnapping
2 counts of act of intimidation
3 counts of manacing
3 counts of third degree child abuse
3 counts of endangering the welfare
2 counts of false statement

Mary Vinson was charged with the following:

7 counts of first degree child abuse
12 counts of second degree conspiracy
2 counts of third degree conspiracy
4 counts of endangering the welfare of a child
6 counts of menacing
71 counts of second degree reckless endangering, 2 counts of kidnapping
225 counts of third degree child abuse
3 counts of first degree reckless endangerment
11 counts of first degree attempted child abuse
7 counts of strangulation
1 count of attempted strangulation
244 counts of endangering the welfare of a child
2 counts of act of intimidation
3 counts of false statement

If convicted on all charges, Mary Vinson faces a minimum sentence of 40 years and a maximum sentence of more than 1,150 years. Charles Vinson would face a minimum sentence of 16 years and a maximum of more than 270 years.