A mum let her boyfriend rub hot pepper on her children’s genitals as punishment, according to police.
Sabrina Emerick, 25, and her 37-year-old partner Robert Saladaga were arrested in Greenville, South Carolina, in the US, accused of abusing Emerick’s two boys.
According to authorities, Saladaga put hot pepper on the genitals of one of the children as punishment for urinating on a sofa.
He also fired BB guns at a youngster and held a pillow over the five-year-old’s face, according to detectives.
Warrants say Saladega rubbed hot sauce on the child’s face, eyes and mouth making him vomit and forced him to take hot or cold showers when he got into trouble.
Meanwhile, their mum passively “allowed her children to be placed at unreasonable risk of harm”, investigators said.
The couple were each charged with unlawful neglect of a child and two counts of cruelty to children, Greenville News reports.
Saladaga is also charged with assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, according to warrants.
The abuse of the boys, aged five and seven, occurred on multiple occasions dating back to at least September 2017, police said.
Following their arrests, Saladaga and Emerick have been released on bail.