Two men and two women have been arrested in Michigan for allegedly planning to kidnap, rape, torture and murder a child, according to authorities—who expressed that the plan was thwarted just in time.
Michigan Attorney Bill Schuette identified the suspects as David Bailey, 37, of Coldwater, Matthew Toole, 32, of Battle Creek, Talia Furman, 32, of Springfield, and Jayme LaPointe, 19, of Athens, the Battle Creek Enquirer reports.
The office of the attorney general alleges that each of the four subjects was part of an unthinkable plan to find a child at a local county fair or the parking lots of stores in the area with no cameras.
After the kidnapping, the suspects were reportedly plotting to torture and sexually assault their victim until the child was dead, before disposing of the body.
The Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force believes the alleged criminals were “really close to going through with the crimes when authorities uncovered the plot,” as reported by WOOD-TV.
Officials said the charges stem from an investigation involving not only other children, but children belonging to the suspects—adding that the probe involved sexual assault and the manufacturing of pornography.
As evidence was being collected, detectives said the foursome was plotting the heinous crimes together via texts messages and chats.
“They committed acts on their own children and were making sexually abusive material,” Detective Sgt. Yott of the Michigan State Police said of the group Friday afternoon.
“They were all sharing and exploiting their own children and other children.”
Further, Toole and Furman were previously arraigned in August on charges that include first-degree criminal sexual conduct and sexually abusive activity for their alleged role in raping a 3-month-old girl and 3-year-old boy, according to ABC 13.
Prosecutors also believe Toole and Furman tried luring a 12-year-old out of a county fair to take the child “up north,” WWMT reports.
Each of the four suspects is behind bars and awaiting arraignment on charges including conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, and conspiracy to commit first-degree criminal sexual conduct—with each charge carrying a sentence of up to life in prison.
[Featured image: Matthew Toole, Talia Furman and Jayme LaPointe/Michigan State Police]