Women accused of beating and withholding food from children, documents state

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Two women are accused of beating their kids, withholding food, and calling them ungrateful and disobedient, according to records.

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Lola Richard, 42, and Dominique Francis, 30, face charges of injury to a child with serious bodily injury. The first signs of the alleged wrongdoing began in December 2021, but the mom of four and her girlfriend were not arrested until November 2022.

Francis and Richard allegedly beat Francis' children with multiple objects, including belts and cords, leaving marks all over their bodies, according to documents. Records detail how the kids claimed to be forced to stand in a corner for hours once they got home from school and were only given a blanket to sleep on the floor.

One child told investigators with Child Protective Services that they ate at home once a week, according to charging documents. The child also added that they sometimes did not eat because they were told they ate too much at school.

Documents also state if the children said they were hungry, they were hit for being "ungrateful and disobedient," and had to bend their knees until they went to bed. They add that the refrigerator was chained because one of the children was caught "stealing cereal."

When children were looked at by doctors for their injuries, they were forced to say it was self-inflicted.

CPS confirmed to ABC13 on Wednesday that all four children were removed from the home and are in their custody.

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