HARRISBURG, PA — A Pennsylvania woman has been charged with multiple felonies after allegedly forcing children in her home to choose between being beaten with a gun or a belt while her boyfriend watched and laughed, according to police.
Maria Roche, 31, faces two counts of aggravated assault on a victim less than 13 years of age, two counts of endangering the welfare of children, and one count of simple assault. Her boyfriend, William Witherspoon, has been charged with one count of endangering the welfare of children. The charges stem from an investigation by the Harrisburg Bureau of Police into reports that children in their Cloverly Road home were experiencing physical abuse involving firearms and belts.
The investigation began after Dauphin County Children and Youth Services employees visited the defendants’ home on February 17 following a report from a 12-year-old child, according to charging documents obtained by local media. During this initial visit, Roche allegedly admitted to keeping guns in the home, prompting the child services agency to contact police. Youth services employees conducted formal interviews with two children in the home on March 20, which led to the disturbing allegations that formed the basis of the criminal charges.
One child told investigators that Roche asked a child to retrieve a gun and then attempted to shoot one of their siblings in the head, but the shot missed and struck a nearby wall instead. The child also reported that Roche regularly forced the children to choose between “the gun or the belt” when she punished them. Witherspoon allegedly watched these episodes of abuse and “laughed” as Roche carried out the punishments, according to police reports. On at least one occasion, investigators said, Roche shoved the barrel of a gun between the eyes of a child. Another child reported being struck with a belt on the neck, arms, and back during separate incidents.
Police recovered firearms from under Roche’s bed after one of the children directed investigators to their location during interviews. The weapons were allegedly used both to threaten and physically strike the children, according to the Harrisburg Bureau of Police. Authorities have not disclosed whether Roche or Witherspoon are the biological parents of the children or specified their relationship to the victims. The ages of the children involved have also not been released, though court documents indicate at least some of the alleged victims were under 13 years old based on the specific charges filed.
Both defendants were arrested on Friday, March 21, and booked into the Dauphin County Prison. Their cases were listed as having been transferred on Monday, March 24, though their next scheduled court date remains unclear. Court records do not indicate whether either defendant has entered pleas or retained legal representation. The Harrisburg Bureau of Police has not provided additional details about the investigation, and prosecutors have not commented on the strength of their case against the pair.
Child welfare advocates note that cases involving firearms and physical abuse represent some of the most serious threats to children’s safety. Dauphin County Children and Youth Services continues to work with the affected children, though officials have not disclosed their current living arrangements or custody status. The investigation highlights the critical role that reporting by children themselves can play in exposing domestic abuse, as the initial complaint that triggered the investigation came directly from one of the alleged victims.
The case now moves through the Dauphin County court system, where prosecutors will present evidence of the alleged abuse pattern. Roche faces the most serious charges, including aggravated assault on victims under 13, which carries significant potential prison time if convicted. Both defendants remain in custody as the legal proceedings continue.
