$210K cash bond set in sex abuse case
ELKINS — A Randolph County man is behind bars and is accused of sexually abusing and assaulting foster children who were in his care.
Luis Torres-Serrano, 38, is charged with multiple felonies, including first and third-degree sexual abuse; second and third-degree sexual assault; sexual abuse by a parent, guardian, custodian or person in a position of trust to a child; and child abuse resulting in injury. He is currently lodged in the Tygarts Valley Regional Jail on a $210,000 cash-only bond.
According to the criminal complaint, in February the Elkins Police Department responded to a store in downtown Elkins in regard to a juvenile who had entered the business claiming to be homeless and asking patrons for food.
Once on the scene, police made contact with the juvenile, who could not remember or disclose where she lived or what her parents’ names were, the complaint states. After contacting multiple schools for help with identification, one school confirmed that the juvenile was a student there and officials were able to provide the EPD with detailed information.
CPS, along with the juvenile’s foster parent, the wife of Torres-Serrano, were contacted and arrived at the school that provided the information. According to the complaint, CPS already had an open case against her along with Serrano-Torres in regard to the well-being of the juvenile as well as other children in the residence, all of whom are under the age of 18.
A CPS officials, along with the Randolph/Tucker CAC, interviewed the juvenile and her sibling and determined that it was best for the children’s well-being to be removed from the residence and custody of the couple, according to the police report.
Further examination disclosed multiple counts of physical, mental and sexual abuse, along with assault and neglect, the report states. The children were able to separately detail multiple items in the residence that were used to discipline them. Two of the juveniles also made detailed reports of multiple sexual abuse and assaults allegedly incurred upon them by Torres-Serrano.
The complaint states that two of the children said Torres-Serrano told them he would “kill” them if they told anyone about the abuse. The same two juveniles said that they would urinate in their bedrooms so that they did not have to walk past Torres-Serrano’s bedroom at night to reach the bathroom.
The criminal complaint states that fishing poles, golf clubs, a metal flute, a cane and other objects were used to abuse the children. The children were also allegedly forced to stand outside in the cold weather, and food was often withheld from them, sometimes for days, the report states. Police found a padlock on the home’s pantry.