Editor’s note: This story contains graphic descriptions of sexual acts against children.
BARRE – A Barre couple accused of sexually assaulting children have been held without bail in what Washington County’s top prosecutor calls one of the worst abuse and child cruelty cases he has reviewed.
A police affidavit in support of the charges against Roland Withers, 35, and Robin Benedict, 38, contains allegations of sex assault involving two children between the ages 7 and 10 over a roughly six-month span, coming to end with their arrest this week.
Roland Withers. Police photo.
Withers, according to the affidavit filed Friday, initially denied any sex act, but later confessed, including to inserting a sex toy in the children’s anus as discipline, while alleging that Benedict took part, at times holding a child down. The allegations included the ten year old being forced to use the sex toy on the younger child.
Benedict provided conflicting statements during her interview with police. She said at one point that she held a child down, forced to do so by Withers, but never used a sex toy on the children herself, according to the affidavit.
She said she feared for her safety and wanted to call the police, but was afraid that Withers would hurt her and “blame everything on me to DCF,” the affidavit stated, referring to the Department of Children and Families.
Robin Benedict. Police photo.
Child cruelty charges brought in the cases also contain allegations of ill treatment of children. The police affidavit outlines stories of children left locked in rooms for hours, reports of bruises on them, and malnourishment.
Benedict told police that Withers provided the children alcoholic beverages, too, giving a 1-year-old Twisted Tea drinks, according to the affidavit.
Withers is also facing a felony charge of aggravated domestic assault for allegedly physically abusing Benedict, according to to court records.
Both Withers and Benedict appeared Friday in Washington County Superior criminal court in Barre, each pleading not guilty to charges against them.
Benedict is charged with a total of six felonies, including two counts of aggravated sexual assault, two counts of aiding in the commission of child cruelty, and two counts of lewd and lascivious conduct with a child.
Withers has a total of 11 charges leveled against him, including seven felonies and four misdemeanors. The felonies include two counts of aggravated sexual assault, two counts of lewd and lascivious conduct with a child, two counts of cruelty to a child, as well as the one charge of aggravated domestic assault. He also faces four misdemeanor offenses of cruelty to a child.
If convicted, both Withers and Benedict face up to life in prison. Judge Mary Morrissey ordered both held without bail pending a further hearing to review the evidence in the cases.
Washington County State’s Attorney Rory Thibault, speaking outside the courtroom after the arraignments, described Withers as Benedict’s “live-in” boyfriend.
Washington County State’s Attorney Rory Thibault. File photo by Mike Dougherty/VTDigger
“It’s a really concerning fact pattern, both based on the physical abuse alleged and the sexual abuse alleged,” the prosecutor said, adding that the allegations span a six-month period.
The allegations came to light during a visit by Benedict along with two children to a doctor this week, according to Thibault. The doctor then contacted law enforcement about allegations of abuse.
“The most disturbing allegations involve the sexual abuse of two children,” the prosecutor said. “Additionally, the affidavit does disclose some of the other physical abuse of the children, not involving sexual acts, but involving maltreatment of the children.”
Thibault added, “Law enforcement officers who visited the house to execute the search warrant also indicated it was not in good condition or would not be in the condition you would want to have children in.”
Both children in the case are now in state custody, the prosecutor said.
The doctor described to police that the two children he examined, the 7-year-old girl and 10-year-old boy, were “filthy,” “pale,” and “ravenously hungry.”
In court Friday during the arraignment, Avi Springer, a public defender representing Benedict, urged the judge to reject the prosecutor’s request to hold his client without bail.
He said the charges against Benedict are based largely on statements made against her by Withers, who was “coercive.”
The Barre courthouse and state office building. Photo by Bob LoCicero
The judge, however, decided to hold Benedict without bail, saying that Benedict’s own statements in the affidavit supported the allegations against her.
“Ms. Benedict herself admits to being present when the acts were taking place,” the judge said. “She also admits that on at least one case she held (the girl) down while she was being abused.”
Samuel Dworkin, an attorney representing Withers, also challenged the holding of his client without bail. He said Withers had no prior felony convictions and his “last criminal contact with the system appears” to have been more than 10 years ago.
“And there certainly appears to be some confusion, or question, about the roles of the various people involved,” he said.
Judge Morrissey said the allegations in the case, as outlined in affidavits filed with the court, reveal, at least at this time, the evidence of guilt is great against Withers based on his “own admissions to a number of the charged offenses.”
Read the story on VTDigger here: Barre couple held after allegations of child sex abuse.