Reserve Cop, Bus Driver Charged With Abuse of 7 Kids

A reserve police officer and his wife have been arrested and charged with subjecting their biological and foster children to “cruel and unusual punishment.”

Branch County prosecutors Zachary W. Stempien said that Matthew and Cassandra Boatrite, 34 and 32, were charged after a joint investigation by Michigan Child Protective Services and Michigan State Police, WTVB reported.

The Boatrites have each been charged with six counts of second degree child abuse, four counts of strangulation, six counts of fourth-degree child abuse, and two counts of domestic violence. Matthew Boatrite faces an additional domestic violence charge, along with two counts of assault with a weapon, and one count of felony firearm.

Matthew Boatrite was immediately “relieved of his duties” by the Quincy Police Department, where he served as a reserve officer. Cassandra Boatrite was also put on leave from her job as a Quincy Schools bus driver, the Sturgis Journal reported.

Seven children were involved, the Journal said — two of them foster placements, one under Matthew Boatrite’s guardianship, and the remaining four the couple’s biological or stepchildren.

All seven — between the ages of 7 and 15 — have been taken into state custody.

According to a probable cause statement, the children told investigators that they were forced to drink dish soap mixed with water, that they were hit with a leather belt and a board as punishment, and that they were frequently handcuffed behind their backs and forced to sit of long stretches of time.

Four the children said both parents choked them. Two of the foster children reported that Matthew Boatrite lifted one of them by his neck and pinned him to a batroom wall, pointing a gun at his head. He also pointed the gun at the other foster children and at younger children during the same incident.

Investigators found three unsecured and unregistered guns at the Boatrite residence, along with a board, belts, and handcuffs.

The couple was arraigned on Thursday and ordered held on $200,000 bonds. If they post bond, they are allowed no contact with the children involved in the abuse and not unsupervised contact with any minors.

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