Abortion: A case study

[D. Scarlatti]

A 35-year-old mother of 14 was arrested on a charge of physical abuse of a child late Thursday after three of her children were found at an abandoned house they used as a "safe house" when she abused them, according to the Milwaukee Police Department.

The woman, whom police would not identify, remained in police custody this morning. The children were taken into protective custody, said Anne E. Schwartz, police spokeswoman. The women’s children range in age from 3 to 20, Schwartz said. Six were removed from her custody earlier and she is now pregnant, Schwartz said.

The woman called police around 10 p.m. Thursday to report that three of her children, 9-year-old twin boys and a 6-year-old boy, were missing, police said. An older child led police to the abandoned house on the 3500 block of Brown St., where they found the three children, Schwartz said. The children had bruises and scars and told police their mother beat them with her fists, broomsticks and belts, Schwartz said. The twins and the 6-year-old have different last names, she said.

Mother of 14 arrested after kids found in 'safe house'