Two Utah parents who share multiple children have been arrested after they allegedly severely abused their kids by treating them like dogs, beating and stabbing them with a screwdriver, and even forcefully removing their teeth with pliers.
The alarming abuse came to the attention of law enforcement when a report was made, prompting an investigation that included interviews with the children. During those sessions, the minors detailed disturbing experiences involving their 33-year-old mother, Rachelle Southwick, and their 35-year-old father, Justin Berriel.
According to court documents, the children endured repeated physical assaults. One child told investigators that Berriel hit them in the face with his fist and stomped on their back. The child also said their father kept them locked in a room for several days without access to food, water, or a bathroom.
Other reports from the children included being suffocated with a pillow, whipped viciously with a belt, and struck with a black pole that caused severe bruising across their legs.
But the horror did not stop there, as one child recalled being subjected to a dog-like treatment, during which they were confined in a kennel and forced to eat dog food. Another claimed their mother, Southwick, used a screwdriver to inflict a stab wound on them.
After police became aware of the abuse allegations in late May 2025, investigators got a warrant to search the children’s home in Provo and found two screwdrivers covered in blood. A room on the upper floor had a lock on the outside and smelled strongly of urine.
Provo police confirmed that the Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) was involved and helped facilitate specialised interviews and medical evaluations for the children. Through these interviews, detectives from the Special Victims Unit were able to piece together a clearer picture of what the children had endured.
As a result, Berriel is now facing seven counts of aggravated child abuse, while Southwick has been charged with one. The children have since been removed from the household and placed in protective care as authorities continue their investigation.