It’s a story reminiscent of the Joshua Tree couple who were arrested in February for child abuse for living in a plywood shed with their children. On Sunday, a Landers couple who had been warned repeatedly that they could not live with a child in a home with no running water or permanent wiring for electricity were arrested, accused of felony child abuse.
According to a Sheriff’s report, William Gaines and Jenny Koster, both 32, had been contacted numerous times at a home in the 56200 block of Lum Lane by law enforcement and Child Protective Services, but the couple always denied living at the home. When a deputy arrived about 8:30 a.m. Sunday, Gaines and Koster made statements that led the deputy to believe they had been living there at least one day. The deputy found trash strewn throughout the home, and there was no running water or permanent electrical wiring; the family used extension cords to provide power. Citing numerous safety risks to the child, William Gaines and Jenny Koster were arrested for felony child abuse, booked into the Morongo Basin Jail, with their bail set at $100,000 each. The child was taken by CPS.
