‘Some of the most disturbing acts I've ever seen’: Delco woman charged with abusing, torturing 4 children

© Provided by KYW Radio Philadelphia Anais Munoz

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A Chester woman is charged with subjecting four children, aged 7 to 13, to two years of torture and sexual abuse in their home.

"These children were put through some of the most disturbing acts I've ever seen," said Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer. "We believe that these children were put through hell by this woman."

Anais Munoz, 19, allegedly beat and sexually abused the children between February 2020 and last year, by choking them with cords and "branding" them with a hair-straightening iron.

Stollsteimer said Munoz was an aunt to three of the children. The abuse took place after Munoz moved into the children's home on West Eighth Street in Chester.

"She was living in the house with the family when all of this horrible series of criminal incidents took place," Stollsteimer told KYW Newsradio.

"She made them perform sex acts on her body, and it included doing beatings of the children if they failed to perform or otherwise weren't willing to participate."

Munoz beat the children with a variety of items including a hammer and hangers, authorities said.

The abuse allegedly happened while the children's parents were sleeping, and Stollsteimer said Munoz threatened the children with more torture if they told their mother about the abuse.

Munoz also allegedly took the children to the streets of Chester to buy drugs, Stollsteimer said.

"They were brought out by her at nighttime to either purchase drugs directly or to be with her and accompany her as she did that,” said Stollsteimer.

Chester Police began an investigation when the children eventually spoke up about the abuse, Stollsteimer said.

"They are the heroes here," he said. "They stood up for themselves and finally broke this cycle of violence by coming forward."

Munoz was arrested in Passaic County, New Jersey on 200 charges including felony child endangerment and aggravated indecent assault.

She is expected to be extradited to Delaware County on Wednesday.