Babysitter Gets 48 Felony Charges for Sexually Abusing 3 Young Sisters Almost Daily for 7 Years: Police

The girls, who were all under the age of 13 at the time of the crimes, are reportedly related to the babysitter, according to Mark Reene, the assistant prosecuting attorney for Midland County, Michigan, as reported by WNEM.

Gaila Bennett, 63, was arraigned on Monday and formally charged with 24 counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct with a victim 13 or younger, 12 counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a victim 13 or younger, and 12 counts of assault with intent to commit sexual penetration.

First-degree criminal sexual conduct also involves penetration and is a life offense, per MLive.com, with the ages of the victims mandating a minimum 25-year sentence. Second-degree is limited to touching with a 15-year sentence attached.

According to charging documents reviewed by the news media group, the investigation into Bennett began on October 5 when the mother of the girls, now 17, 15, and 14 years old, reached out to Michigan State Police about the possible sexual abuse she believed happened over a seven years span to her daughters.

In interviews with troopers, per the affidavit, all three girls alleged regularly being abused during the years they were being watched by Bennett, saying she would “routinely molest and rape them in various rooms in their house,” per MLive.com. One of the girls stated that the abuse started when she was in kindergarten and happened nearly every day that Bennett babysat her, per Midland Daily News.

The girls also claimed Bennett would shower with them, touching them on their privates. Troopers also noted in their documentation that Bennett allegedly took photographs of the girls while they were showering.

One of the victims told investigators that Bennett “would treat me like a doll. I was like her baby [she] was playing with,” per the affidavit. She said that the babysitter would tie her up with rope and molest her — and if she refused to submit to this, she would be hit with hands and other objects. If she cried, she said, per the report, she would be locked in the basement “wood shop” until her parents got home.

A detail shared by all three girls was that they were allegedly given “syrup stuff” by Bennett before these instances of sexual assault, with the girls telling police the substance made them feel drowsy.

State troopers executed a search warrant at Bennett’s home on October 17, where they seized multiple different electronic devices that will be analyzed for evidence per CBS News. The suspect was arrested without incident in her home.

“The number of children who are subjected to sexual abuse is certainly common,” Reene told the news station. “Numbers are one in three girls and one in four boys, unfortunately.” He said that there could be more charges and more suspects or victims yet to come as the case is still being investigated.

Bennett is currently being held in the Midland County Jail on a $5 million bond. Her next court appearance is a probable cause conference in her case, set for November 4.

If you believe you or someone else is the victim of child sexual exploitation, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children offers 24/7 support for those in need at  1-800-THE-LOST (843-5678), or at report.cybertip.org. You can also contact the FBI at tips.fbi.gov.