Salinas couple charged in child abuse case

The Monterey County District Attorney’s Office has charged a couple in one of the worst cases of child abuse in Salinas history. 39-year-old Tami Huntsman and 17-year-old Gonzalo Curiel face eight charges, ranging from child abuse to first degree murder. Both are still in Northern California, but should be brought back to Monterey County in about a week.

In eight pages, prosecutors laid out their case, detailing why they believe Huntsman and Curiel should be tried for first degree murder. They say the murders of three-year-old Delylah and six-year-old Shaun Tara were premeditated and deliberate. They also believe the abuse started in Salinas a year ago, when Huntsman got custody of the children. According to District Attorney Dean Flippo, their bodies were found hidden in a plastic bin in a storage facility in Shasta County. While the bodies have not been positively identified, Flippo believes it is the children, and that they were killed in Salinas.

The couple also face felony child abuse on the nine-year-old survivor, three counts of felony torture and two counts of conspiracy to commit a crime. Prosecutors allege the nine-year-old survivor was repeatedly restrained and beaten, suffering broken bones and was denied medical care, clothing, shelter and food.

A local criminal attorney, not related to this case, spoke with NewsChannel 5 about the difficulty both sides will face in the courtroom if this case goes to trial.

“Everybody, no matter how horrible the crime, everybody is entitled to the presumption of innocence and the burden of proof if on the prosecutor,” said Tom Worthington.

As a criminal attorney, Worthington says if he were on the case, he would look at every alternative explanation of what happened.

And while a change of venue could be an option, keeping the case in Monterey County may ensure a fair trial.

“I tell you, there’s a rule of thumb in Monterey County,” Worthington said. “We rarely seek a change of venue outside of Monterey County. We find we get a good cross-section of jurors in Monterey County. They are fair people that will listen to both sides and they’ll try to do their best.”

There are special circumstances in the case that would make Huntsman eligible for the death penalty. Flippo has previously said a decision will not be made until after the preliminary hearing.