ST. PAUL (WCCO) — A St. Paul woman was behind bars Thursday, accused of using an electrical cord to discipline her three young children.
Twenty-eight-year-old Khima McAdory told police she struck her children with the cord because they did not clean their rooms properly.
An anonymous report of child abuse sent St. Paul Police to the 1100 block of Sherburne Avenue.
When they arrived the mother of three children, all under the age of 7, answered the door and the question asked by police.
According to the criminal complaint, Khima McAdory told officers, “I’m not going to lie to you, I did whoop my kids with a cord.”
“When we are taking about children being physically abused like this, this clearly crossed the line, it’s everyone’s business,” said John Choi, the Ramsey County Attorney.
Ramsey County Attorney John Choi applauded the actions of the anonymous caller. He said that brave move saved those children from what he considers physical abuse.
McAdory admits in the complaint she had them strip down to their underwear and she struck them with an extension cord numerous times.
“Giving parents access to different resources so they don’t feel like they are at the end of their rope and they have to resort only to physical violence,” said Zach Lien, a Cornerstone therapist.
Lien said parents should look for other ways to discipline children like time outs or taking away privileges.
Lien said parents should not discipline their children based on what they experienced.
“A lot of people base that on how they were raised or how they saw other families in the community raised. But the bottom line is…hitting children is not OK,” Lien said.
“This is not just a criminal matter, but it’s also a child protection matter,” Choi said.
Choi said the courts will do what they can to hold McAdory accountable for her actions and do what is best for the children.
McAdory faces two felony and two gross misdemeanor charges.
Two of the charges deal with alleged threats she made to her children, threats McAdory denies making.
Her children are currently in protective custody.
