Discipline or Abuse? Couple Accused Of Belt-Beating, Locking Away Children

CHELMSFORD, MA — A Chelmsford couple is fighting assault charges involving their four children in which police accuse them of beating the children with a leather belt and leather sandal.

The couple is also accused of locking one of the children in a bedroom with a padlock, then going out for the day, leaving the child without food, water or bathroom access.

In Middlesex Superior Court, Kenneth Steinbrecher, 39, and the children's stepmother, Gilvania Steinbrecher, 44, both of Chelmsford, are free on $30,000 and $10,000 cash bail, respectively, after pleading not guilty to multiple charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon on a child under 14 and reckless endangerment of a child for alleged incidents dating back to November of 2013.

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Police allege the couple began to physically abuse the victims at the end of 2013 — around the time Kenneth and Gilvania married — when the victims were ages 3, 8 , 9 and 12. The alleged abuse continued until August 15, 2016, when the children were ages 6 , 11, 12 and 15 years old.

The allegations of abuse came to light when the oldest child asked for a free lunch at the high school, police said.

But is this an issue of spare the rod, spoil the child? Defense attorney Debra Dewitt, who represents Kenneth Steinbrecher, said this may be an issue of discipline, not abuse.

She and attorney Samir Zaganjori, who represents Gilvania Steinbrecher, are seeking all school, psychological and state Department of Children and Family records for the children.

The next court date is is May 11 for a motion hearing.

In court documents, prosecutor Rachel Perlman alleges that on dates between November 2013 and August 2016, Kenneth Steinbrecher assaulted the children in their Chelmsford by hitting them with his leather Air Force belt. Gilvania Steinbrecher is alleged to have hit the children on their heads and necks with a leather sandal.

Both parents were present during these alleged assaults, Perlman said.

The parents also put padlocks on the two of the children's bedroom doors. In one instance, while the rest of the family went out for the entire day and into the night, one of the children, who was 10 at the time, was locked in his second-floor bedroom.

The child was unable to get out of the room and had no access to food, water or the bathroom, police allege. Another child was locked in her room for a period of time.

Police allege the couple monitored food consumption of their four children by using video cameras in the home. Food was restricted by the parents, and the victims allege they were always hungry.