Tenney

PHILIPPI – A man and woman are behind bars after police investigated the alleged physical abuse of four children, including the man holding children off the ground by their throats as a punishment.

Brandon Guy Tenney, of Montrose, is charged with five counts of strangulation and seven counts of child abuse resulting in injury, all felonies.

He is being held in the Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a $200,000 surety/cash bond.

Bethany Marie Fortney, 30, of Philippi, is charged with child neglect resulting in injury, and four counts of child neglect creating risk of injury, all felonies.

She is being held in the Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a $100,000 surety/cash bond.

According to the criminal complaint, on July 2, officers were made aware of possible child abuse taking place at a residence in Philippi. On the same date, Sgt. C. Keller with the Philippi Detachment of the West Virginia State Police filed a complaint including the allegations with the state Department of Health and Human Resources.

On July 17, Trooper First Class B. Stout observed a forensic interview with three of the children involved at the Clarksburg Child Advocacy Center, the complaint states. One child described being picked up off the ground by the throat, saying Tenney “would grab (the child) by the throat and cause red marks around (the throat) and not be able to breath.” The same child described being whipped by Tenney, using a belt that left a welt and bruising, with the child having to “sleep on (their) belly due to the bruise hurting.”

Another of the children described being punched by Tenney, allegedly causing bruising, and being choked by Tenney, according to the complaint. This child said Tenney had struck “the baby” because it was crying. The child described seeing Tenney hold a gun under his own chin and threaten to kill himself.

The third child said Tenney would put his hands around the children’s necks while “making comments about hurting/killing them,” the complaint states.

Also on July 17, Stout and Keller interviewed Tenney, who said he sometimes grabbed the children by the throat to “punish” them, sometimes holding them approximately 6 inches off the ground for about “five minutes,” according to the complaint. He allegedly said he would then release them and let them fall to the ground.

Fortney told officers she was aware of the incidents involving Tenney and the four children, the complaint states.