Three charged with stabbing, burning and beating boys they were watching

Salt Lake City, Utah: Two boys ages 17 and 6 were transported to Primary Children's hospital on Tuesday morning with "multiple, serious injuries."

Officers met the mother at the hospital and spoke with her. They learned from her that she had just picked her boys up after leaving them in the care of three family acquaintances for the past four weeks.

The following day officers located and arrested 32-year-old Laurie Hackett, 31-year-old Randee Coon and 52-year-old Kerri Pavlica. They are being held without bail on 19 counts each of aggravated child abuse. Their court date is not known.

Citing the probable cause statement, Gephardt Daily states that the trio were located in a newly purchased van and that their previous vehicle had been abandoned.

After being read their Miranda Rights, all three suspects reportedly admitted to participating in and/or being aware of the abuse caused by others over the previous four weeks.

"Doctors are continuing to evaluate the two victims" Salt Lake City Police said in a statement released on Thursday, July 14. "Their injuries are extensive and will require further care from medical professionals."

Quoting the affidavit, Desert News reports that "The 17-year-old victim had scalp swelling, multiple bruises on his face, black eyes, bruising on his back, two puncture wounds on his back, fractured vertebrae and injured ribs. The six-year-old victim had scalp swelling, a burn on his face, a laceration to his kidney and liver, swelling around his pancreas, a healing fracture of the lower sternum, fractured vertebrae, injured ribs, swelling around the ribs" and also fluid in his lungs.

Salt Lake City Police Chief Mike Brown took to Twitter to commend the work done by the department's patrol officers, detectives, and members of the Special Victims Unit.