A man and his girlfriend pleaded not guilty this week to torturing his 54-year-old sister and allegedly locking her in a storage shed in Lancaster.
Elias Abdurahman, 61, and Sara Kebede Tadesse, 50, were charged last month with one felony count each of false imprisonment by violence, assault with a deadly weapon and dependent adult abuse. There is also an allegation that they personally inflicted great bodily injury on the woman. Sheriff’s deputies investigating reports of screaming on Sept. 22 found the woman locked in a shed in the backyard of a house in the 45000 block of East Second Street.
Prosecutors said the woman was reportedly frail, malnourished and had both fresh and older wounds. The criminal complaint alleges that the couple assaulted her with a cane.
If convicted, the two suspects face up to life in prison. They are due in court on Nov. 19 for a preliminary hearing to determine if there is sufficient evidence to stand trial. Each remains jailed on more than $1.1 million bail.
