California Couple Arrested After They Allegedly Branded, Strangled and Shot Their Five Nieces and Nephews with Pellet Gun

An aunt and uncle in Southern California have been arrested for allegedly brutalizing and shooting their five nieces and nephews.

From 2017 to 2021, five minors lived with their aunt and uncle Jessica Salas-Ruiz, 26, and Fernando Inzunza, 36. During that time, the couple allegedly branded, strangled and shot the children with a pellet gun, Fox News reports. There are no details yet on how the couple gained custody of the children.

The kids, who reports say were allegedly subjected to “various forms of physical abuse and torture,” were ages 11 to 17. According to Rialto police, after their abuse was reported, the children moved into the home of another relative sometime last year. An investigation was launched in August 2021, where authorities found evidence of physical marks on the minors, Fox News reports, per the Barstow Police Department.

The couple now faces several counts of corporal punishment of a child, and Inzunza has been charged with torture. Their bails have been set at $750,000.