More children recount abuse, neglect in Trebilcock trial
LONGVIEW, Wash. -- The testimony of three children remained consistent Tuesday in the trial of Jeff and Rebecca Trebilcock, the couple accused of nearly starving five adopted children to death.
A 14-year-old boy, whom prosecutors said was near death a year ago, testified Monday. His biological sister testified Tuesday and then later in the afternoon, one of their sisters who was born in Haiti took the stand.
The girl was extremely shy and answered questions with mostly one or two words. The 12-year-old, whose face will not be shown by KATU, said she often wouldn't get to eat if she didn't finish her chores. She said she was also made to stand outside in the cold with no jacket or shoes.
The girl, however, said the treatment by the Trebilcock couple was worse for her 13-year-old adopted brother because the Trebilcocks caught him eating dog food. Prosecutors said he weighed only as much as a six-year-old child when he was rushed to the hospital last year.
"Sometimes he would get spanked ... Sometimes he would get slapped in the face," she said.
The girl is one of three the Trebilcocks adopted from Haiti, along with adopting the boy and his biological sister who were born in America. During testimony from the girl, Jeff Trebilcock got somewhat emotional, wiping away tears from his face.
The three who have testified so far said the Trebilcocks put a motion-sensing alarm in their kitchen to keep the kids from taking more food. The girl testified she still stole bread and foraged in the bathroom for something to eat.
"(I) took toothpaste," she said.
The prosecutor asked her why she did that.
"(Because) I was hungry," she said.
The prosecutor showed a picture of a locked cabinet inside the Trebilcocks' master bedroom. It was stocked with food, including soap and candy bars.
I've heard some stories from a few people I know that have spent time in prison. These two have a road ahead of them in prison that their not soon to forget. Inmates absolutely do not tolerate people who abuse kids, that is unless their a child abuser themselves. These two are going to wish they'd never done what they've done to these poor innocent children. If I were them, I would sleep with at least one eye open, because the other inmates are going to go after them, and those who may know who did what to these two scumbags while in prison, they won't speak up against the ones that'll make these two's lives a living hell. They may not have gotten the time behind bars that they should have, but other inmates will definetly make their lives miserable.
These people should be hung, and given nothing but stale bread and rainwater to drink, after locking them up in a cage. Â Another reason to abolish adoption.
How can an attorney even represent them? I know public defenders have to take cases, but can they refuse some? I sure wouldn't represent scum bags like these two. Â I know that is how they make their living, but good grief, they are just asking for problems by defending these idiots......There is no defense. They are guilty! Evidence has already proven that.
 @seriously? Not without just cause, such as a conflict of interest. A lawyer does not have to believe in the innocence of his client, but must present the client in the best possible light.
I bet the reason Jeff is emotion and has tears, is because he knows he is sooo screwed! Â He probably thought the kids would be too scared to testify.Â
I hope the kids get put in wonderful places and get shown what life is supposed to be like for kids with plenty of good food and loving parents.
I hope Jeff and Rebecca are not kept isolated in prison, they need to be with the general population and forced to watch the news about themselves while sitting in the middle of a bunch of pissed of convicts.
Sounds like they're going down in flames.
"During testimony from the girl, Jeff Trebilcock got somewhat emotional, wiping away tears from his face." I'm wondering if during the 'tearing' time he was thinking what the next bunch of years is going to be like in prison...I doubt he still has any feelings of guilt of what he did. Or he is trying to put on a show for the jury!
There is no rational , well intentioned mind behind behavour like this. The parent thought themselves as Dictators meting out rations to the poor. Beat them if the complained of hunger. Whipped them for eatind dog food while bieng the weight of a child many years younger than his own age.Nothing can justify this. Sterilize them, strip all massessr and liquidate them for the chidlrend care and counseling. I wish the children only the best.
What is he eating? His defense papers?
The most heinous crime is that committed against a defenseless child. I sincerely hope that these two spend the rest of their lives locked up in some place that is a living hell everyday. Starving their adopted children? Obviously the adults weren't missing any meals. They should suffer the same punishment as they inflicted on their children only ten times worse. You cannot find a better argument for capital punishment than a child abuser.
I wish the state could just drop these two worthless pieces of chit into the middle of Puget Sound
@justsayn' I doubt it would do much good...as much blubber as these two have put on at the expense of their kids, they would just float around like a blob of styrofoam. They need to spend at least 10 years ( the age of thier oldest child) on half the rations they gave the kids, then be prohibited from having access to kids, just like a sex offender...this is child abuse at it's worst!
Here, in Longview These 2 have become the most hated people in this City,
I just cannot figure out people like this... This isn't even a matter of a couple just popping out babies one after the other... these people ADOPTED these kids...presumeably because they wanted to love, raise, and care for them.  I'll even make a rash assumption here, that no one held a gun to their heads to make them sign the adoption papers!  And it certainly wasn't a matter of the whole family going hungry... from the looks of these 2, it's all too apparent who ended up with the food...
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Sounds to me like what they wanted was some very cheap household help (aka: slave labor)...  The whole thing is WAY beyond disgusting!   I hope that good, loving homes can be found for these kids...
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As for these 2 "adults", they have some really, r-e-a-l-l-y BAD karma headed their way... and I'd say it was well-deserved.
@margay1 ....margay.......adoption has a certain financial component as does the foster care programs.
Sounds like these two were sociopaths who liked to make their living by the money the state gave them to keep the kids. Thank god the cops found them before any of the kids died, which would have been inevitable.  Â
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 @donny I would imagine these two have never bothered to register, let alone vote.Â
Let's hope these people spend many many years in prison.. No child should ever endure this type of abuse.. I say as long as these children have scars they remain in prison !