Left to right: Casey Cano, Mary Cano (Crawford County Jail via WKBT).
A Wisconsin couple is accused of subjecting their six children to years of severe neglect and abuse, allegedly forcing them to eat non-nutritive substances like mold, grass, and dog food, while also inflicting harsh physical punishment. The children reportedly endured beatings so severe that a belt used in these assaults sometimes broke their skin.
Casey Cano, aged 38, along with Mary Cano, 35, are currently charged with multiple serious offenses. These include six counts each of repeated physical abuse resulting in great bodily harm and child neglect. Additionally, the couple faces a charge of exposing a child under the age of 13 to sexual acts, as per court documents.
Information from criminal complaints, shared by WKBT, a local CBS affiliate, reveals that the alleged abuse spanned from January 2018 to April 2022, occurring in their Crawford County home in southwest Wisconsin. The children stated that as a form of punishment, food was withheld from them for several days, leading them to resort to eating dog food, mold, and grass to survive.
Moreover, the complaints detail a disturbing punishment where the Canos allegedly forced one child to wear a diaper for three consecutive days. The children also reported being struck with a belt, leaving them with welts and sometimes breaking their skin.
According to WXOW, a local ABC affiliate, the victims of this alleged abuse ranged in age from just 1 to 9 years old, with the physical abuse reportedly starting as early as 3 months old. Charges suggest that Casey Cano was the primary perpetrator, while Mary Cano, charged as a “party to a crime,” allegedly failed to intervene.
Charges indicate that Casey Cano was the aggressor, while Mary Cano — whose charge has a “party to a crime” modifier — did nothing to stop it.
This isn’t the first time the suspects were accused of abusing children. Both were charged in 2022 with the repeated sexual assault of the same child. Casey Cano pleaded no contest that same year and was sentenced to 10 years in prison with all but one year stayed, and five years of probation. Mary Cano pleaded guilty to the same charge and received a five-year prison sentence with all but 90 days stayed, according to court records.
WXOW reports the investigation into the latest charges began in December. Both subjects were arrested at the end of March and have since posted bond.
