Jury to get abuse case Tuesday

AND PLANS TO ACCEPT. WHEN A VALENCIA COUNTY JURY WAKES UP TOMORROW MORNING.... THEY WILL BE A...  More »

AND PLANS TO ACCEPT. WHEN A VALENCIA COUNTY JURY WAKES UP TOMORROW MORNING.... THEY WILL BE ASKED TO DECIDE ONE OF THE MOST STUNNING CASES OF ALLEGED CHILD ABUSE IN RECENT MEMORY. SARAH AND MATTHEW HEPPLE ARE ACCUSED OF TYING UP AND STARVING THEIR TWO OLDEST CHILDREN. SHELTON DODSON IS LIVE IN LOS LUNAS WITH MORE ON HOW THE HEPPLES' MOUNTED THEIR DEFENSE TODAY... SHELTON: THE JURY WAS BOMBARDED TODAY WITH THE ACRONYM 'RAD' ... IT STANDS FOR REACTIVE ATTACHMENT DISORDER... WHICH THE DEFENSE CONTENDS BOTH OF ALLEGED VICTIMS SUFFER FROM AND LED THEM TO MAKE UP THIS ENTIRE STORY. THE HEPPLES ARE ACCUSED OF TYING UP THEIR THEN 13- YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER AND NINE YEAR OLD SON INSIDE THEIR VALENCIA COUNTY HOME EARLY LAST YEAR. THEIR DAUGHTER RAN AWAY AND SHOWED INVESTIGATORS NUMEROUS CUTS ON HER ARMS SHE SAYS ARE A RESULT OF BEING TIED UP. SHE SAID HER YOUNGER BROTHER ALSO SUFFERED SIMILAR INJURIES. BUT TODAY A C-Y- F-D INVESTIGATOR TESTIFIED THAT THE BOY INITIALLY TOLD HIM A DIFFERENT STORY: : 'He indicated that his older sister had made cuts on his wrist and that he was afraid of that and that there was enough food and he felt that there was adequate shelter.' THAT BOY LATER RECANTED THOSE STATEMENTS SAYING THE CUTS ON HIS WRIST WERE ACTUALLY FROM BEING HANDCUFFED FOR DAYS ON END. HE ALSO SAID AT ONE TIME HE WAS GIVEN ONLY BREAD AND WATER FOR A WEEK. THE HEPPLES DID NOT TESTIFY IN THEIR OWN DEFENSE. TESTIMONY WRAPPED LATE THIS AFTERNOON... CLOSING ARGUMENTS START TOMORROW MORNING ... THE JURY SHOULD HAVE THE CASE BY THE LUNCH HOUR. REPORTING LIVE FROM LOS LUNAS..., SHELTON DODSON, EYEWITNESS NEWS FOUR.  « Less