Fla. Parents Arrested After Father Allegedly Struck Child for Nearly 30 Minutes Over Missing Couch Cushion

Mar. 15, 2025

Lance Rachel Mugshot; Kimberly Rachel Mugshot.Photo:Osceola County Jail

Osceola County Jail

Two Florida parents have been arrested for charges related tochild abuseafter a father allegedly beat a minor and the mother failed to intervene or report the incident.

On Monday, Dec. 16, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Officeannouncedthe investigation and subsequent arrests of the Kissimmee couple — identified as Lance Eugene Rachel and Kimberly Corene Rachel — after law enforcement and the Florida Department of Children and Families were made aware of the alleged abuse.

The age and identity of the child was withheld.

According to the sheriff’s office, the alleged incident happened at the family’s home on Dec. 7.

Per the press release, the child was allegedly “struck over 50 times with a belt,” and “also choked and called several disparaging names and other obscenities.”

Lance Rachel, Osceola County Sheriff’s Office.Osceola County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook

Osceola County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook

As Lance allegedly continued to beat the child, he also threatened to break the victim’s jaw, the sheriff’s office said.

The sheriff’s office said Kimberly was “arrested for failure to report the known child abuse.”

Kimberly Rachel, Osceola County Sheriff’s Office.Osceola County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook

In a video accompanying the sheriff’s office’s statement, Lance and Kimberly were seen being escorted from a property in handcuffs.

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“Corporal punishment on your child is one thing, but child abuse and going too far is against the law,” Osceola County Sheriff Marcos R. Lopez said at the end of the video.

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

source: people.com