Inset, left to right: Lacy Douglas Hocutt Jr. and Rachelleigh Marie Galasso (Wake County Sheriff’s Office). Background: The home where the defendants allegedly abused their six kids (WRAL).
A couple from North Carolina stands accused of subjecting six children to extreme maltreatment, including allegedly locking a 13-year-old in a dog kennel, in conditions that prosecutors have described as some of the most appalling they have ever encountered.
Lacy Douglas Hocutt Jr., aged 34, and Rachelleigh Marie Galasso, aged 33, were apprehended this week, facing multiple felony charges. Hocutt has been charged with nine counts of statutory rape, while Galasso faces four counts of negligent child abuse resulting in serious bodily harm, based on court documentation.
The accusations emerged after a report in February sparked an investigation, resulting in the removal of all six children from the home. The children ranged from ages 1 to 15.
According to WRAL, an NBC affiliate in Raleigh-Durham, the 13-year-old was confined in a dog kennel and was found to be “so grossly underweight that it was life-threatening.” When authorities inspected the home in February, they discovered the child covered in feces and suffering from an E. coli infection that required urgent medical attention.
The chilling revelations continued, as prosecutors noted the residence was so filthy that investigators were required to wear protective clothing upon entry.
“When CPS and the sheriff’s office visited, the conditions were so unhygienic that investigators needed protective gear,” an assistant district attorney stated in court on Thursday, as reported by WRAL.
Authorities also revealed the psychological toll the alleged abuse had on the children. The teenager who was allegedly confined in the kennel now exhibits troubling behavior.
“He now rocks back and forth, and all he yells is, ‘You’re never getting out. You’re never getting out,’ which we can only assume is what was screamed at him while he was in there,” the prosecutor told the court.
Additional allegations outlined in court records paint a broader picture of neglect. Multiple children reportedly suffered from severe dental issues to the point where they could not eat without pain and will require ongoing treatment.
Prosecutors also said none of the children had received any formal schooling and were unable to read or write.
The News & Observer reported that Galasso neglected a teen child’s scoliosis so severely that her condition is now “beyond the point that she can be treated with surgical intervention and will have to suffer from the condition for the remainder of her life.”
Another two children had such poor dental hygiene that they both had to have several of their adult teeth removed and reportedly cannot chew solid food without pain.
Hocutt is accused of sexually abusing one of the female children for years, with the first incident reportedly taking place in 2017, according to the News & Observer.
In court, prosecutors emphasized the severity of the case, describing the alleged conduct as some of the most egregious they have encountered.
Both defendants appeared in court Thursday and were appointed public defenders. If convicted, Hocutt is facing a possible life sentence.
The defendants are being held without bond and are scheduled to return to court on April 23.
