Santa Ana woman, boyfriend charged with starving her sons remain jailed

SANTA ANA — A Santa Ana woman and her boyfriend, who face charges of child abuse for allegedly tying up her two sons and withholding food and water from them, are each being held on $250,000 bail.

Cheryl Ann Stuart, 25, and Mario Alberto Colin, 31, a special education aide, appeared before Orange County Superior Court Judge Walter Schwarm, but their arraignment was postponed until July 23. They are both charged with two felony counts of child abuse and corporal injury on a child.

The defendants face up to seven years and four months in prison if convicted. Stuart's two- and five-year-old sons are the alleged victims.

Stuart stood behind Colin during the hearing and the two did not appear to interact in any way.

After the hearing, Stuart's brother, Randy, tearfully defended his sister.

"Years of being a great mother and four months with this guy now she's a monster to everyone,'' Randy Stuart said. "She's not a monster.''

Colin, who is pursuing a master's degree in education at Cal State Fullerton, was hired about five months ago as a "behavior technician'' at Durfee Elementary School in Pico Rivera, said Arnold Tovar, assistant superintendent of student services for the El Rancho Unified School District.

He was hired to work with one special education student in the first grade but is now on summer break, Tovar said, adding that the Santa Ana resident is still a probationary employee.

He was arrested a day after Santa Ana police took his girlfriend into custody for allegedly tying up and depriving her sons of food and water, Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said.

Colin is married and the father of a 9-month-old daughter and 4-year-old son, and began dating Stuart in late February, although the two have known each other since 2006, Bertagna said.

Stuart rented a bedroom in a house in the 1400 block of North Parsons Place, and the landlord called police to check on the boys' welfare, Bertagna said.

The children were so dehydrated their ribs were showing and they had bloody, cracked lips, the corporal said.

Stuart allegedly tethered the 2-year-old to a crib with a string, chain and gauze and withheld food from him because she was potty-training him and grew tired of cleaning up after him, Bertagna said.

She allegedly told police it was Colin's idea to withhold food and water from the boys, who were tied up so she could sleep without worrying about them getting away, officials said.

Police were investigating whether Colin's children had also been abused, Bertagna said.

Colin and Stuart exchanged dozens of text messages, in which she was instructed to tie her children to their bed and crib by their ankles, according to prosecutors.

"She was in fear for her safety, her kids' safety,'' Randy Stuart said of his sister.

Randy Stuart said he was crying after today's arraignment, "mainly forthe boys,'' who were no doubt wondering, "why am I here, where's my family, where's my grandma, my uncle?''

Randy Stuart said it was "devastating to know that someone as nice, giving and funny,'' as his sister faces child abuse charges.