Michigan couple convicted of child abuse

A Michigan jury found Tamal and Jerry Flore guilty of abusing foster and adopted children in their home. The couple lived in Lansing, where they took in 16 children between 2007 and the time of their arrest. Authorities charged the pair with mistreating the minors under the pretense of discipline.

Tamal Flore, 59, was convicted on six counts of first-degree child abuse. She also received guilty verdicts on two counts of second-degree child abuse and three counts of third-degree child abuse. Her husband, Jerry Flore, 61, was found guilty of one count of second-degree child abuse. That specific charge carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years. The jury acquitted Jerry Flore on nine other abuse charges.

The Office of the Michigan Attorney General prosecuted the case. Prosecutors alleged the couple routinely mistreated the children they brought into their home. The charges focused on the treatment of seven of the 16 children who lived with the Flores.

Court documents describe specific punishments used by the couple. Children reported being whipped with a belt and beaten with metal and wooden spoons. The Flores also locked children in rooms or the garage for days at a time. Some children were forced to sleep in a designated kitchen area known as the square for weeks.

The couple required children to perform strenuous punishment exercises. They also withheld food from children who failed to complete assigned daily housework. The jury reached its verdict after hearing evidence of these actions.

The court has scheduled the sentencing for Jan. 11. Both Flore will await their sentences before beginning their prison terms.