PRESS RELEASE

 

October 29, 2009

 

Rashell Lavern Clarke was convicted by jury today of seven violations of Penal Code 273(A)(A), Child Abuse under circumstances likely to cause great bodily injury.  The jury also found true seven special allegations that Clarke personally inflicted Great Bodily Injury on each of the seven victims.  The victims are the children of Clarke and consisted of three sets of twins, with all the victims 5 years of age or younger.

 

The child abuse came to light when the oldest set of twins were found to have injuries to their forearms that they complained of to school officials.  An investigation was then begun by Redding Police School Resource Officer Will Williams, who quickly uncovered the other five abused children at Clarke’s residence in the city of Redding.  All victim’s were later evaluated by a Child Abuse expert from UC Davis and found to have numerous scars all over their bodies from trauma inflicted by Clarke.

 

The defendant is set to be sentenced December 14, 2009 and faces a maximum term in prison of 50 years.  The case was investigated by Jon Poletski and Will Williams of the Redding Police Department and prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Curtis Woods.