Mom charged with aggravated child abuse following husband's arrest on same charges

SPRING HILL, Fla. - A week and a half after Spring Hill resident Ronald White was arrested for nearly killing his adoptive, mentally disabled son, his wife was arrested for the same charges Wednesday, the Hernando Sheriff’s Office said.

Tammy White, 42, has been charged with two counts of aggravated child abuse.

Her husband was arrested July 25 and charged with Aggravated Child Abuse with Great Bodily Harm and Caging a child.

Ronald allegedly beat his adopted son, forced him to drink a gallon of water and locked him in his bedroom, denying him access to a bathroom, Hernando County deputies say. Details have not yet been provided regarding Tammy's part in the abuse.

"We don't know at this point how long the child was locked into the room," said Hernando County Sheriff's Corporal Wendy McGinnis. "Whether it was several hours a day, several days, weeks, we don't know at this point." The investigation is continuing, McGinnis said.
Ronald White was charged with Aggravated Child Abuse with Great Bodily Harm and Caging a child. White was booked into the Hernando County Jail on $20,000 bond.
According to the arrest affidavit, White hit the 16-year-old boy "in the face causing a black eye... As a result of the blow (the boy) fell to the ground where ... White struck him several times about the head and body," causing additional injuries. Deputies say White then locked the boy in his bedroom with a dead bolt and refused to let him leave.
On July 13, deputies say White forced the teen to drink a gallon of water, which was a common punishment with all three of his adopted children. He then refused to let the children use the bathroom.
The teen told deputies he would frequently soil his pants overnight, because he was not allowed to use the toilet.
Deputies say the alleged abuse was discovered when the victim collapsed at home and was rushed to the hospital.
Doctors listed the boy in critical condition, "due to all his organs shutting down and his body being in septic shock," according to the arrest affidavit.
"How could you do that? That's sick," said neighbor Marilyn Scaccio. "You wouldn't treat an animal like that, much less a child."