Controversial YouTube Parents Face Possible 10 Years in Prison for Allegedly Abusive Videos
The father and stepmother who pull dark pranks on their children on their controversial DaddyOFive [...]
The father and stepmother who pull dark pranks on their children on their controversial DaddyOFive YouTube channel face neglect charges and up to 10 years in prison.
According to court documents obtained by PEOPLE, prosecutors in Frederick County, Maryland charged Heather and Michael Martin with two counts each of neglect of a minor on July 27. Prosecutors allege that the Martins neglected two of their children, Emma, 12, and Cody, 9, from November 2016 through April 2017.
The Martins each face up to five years on each count and a $5,000 fine.
The charges stem from videos the Martins shared on their YouTube channel, in which they played twisted pranks on their children. Many viewers described the controversial videos as abusive.
In the videos, which no longer remain on YouTube, Michael and Heather are apparently shown yelling and swearing at their children until they cry.
Cody was apparently a frequent victim of the Ijamsville, Maryland couple's behavior; in one video Michael allegedly yelled at Cody for spilling ink until he cried, when Heather later revealed it to be invisible ink.
The Martins lost custody of Cody and Emma in April amid outrage from the public and the children's mother, Rose Hall.
Hall was granted emergency custody of Cody and Emma "so that they would be safe," her attorney, Tim Conlon, says in a video he and Hall posted on YouTube on May 1.
Hall said she hadn't seen Emma since 2014 and Cody since 2014 due to a custody battle with Michael, her ex-boyfriend.
In April, the Martins issued an apology on their YouTube channel (watch here), and told ABC News that their videos were scripted and that it started as "family fun."
"We love our kids. They're the most important thing in the world to us. We made poor parenting choices by portraying ourselves this way. But we are not bad people," Heather said.
"This just — it started out as family fun," Michael added. "It started with me and my kids … They would get excited when they would get a lot of views. You know, it was more for shock value. We were going for shock value."
The couple's attorney, Stephen Tully, told The Frederick News-Post that the Martins have reached a plea deal with the prosecution. Court records state that the couple's hearing will take place on September 11.