A Gwinnett County man has been sentenced to multiple life terms in prison following a trial that uncovered horrific details about his family life, including the death of his 10-year-old daughter. William Linn McCue, 51, received three consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, followed by a fourth life sentence and an additional 120 years in prison for his crimes.
As reported by CBS News, the investigation into the McCue family began on the night of April 17, 2022, when firefighters were called to the family’s home in Loganville, Georgia. 42-year-old Carina McCue was able to evacuate the couple’s 12-year-old and 8-year-old sons, but could not reach their 10-year-old daughter, Zowey.
Officials discovered that Zowey had been sleeping in a locked bathroom, where a piece of plywood placed over the bathtub served as her makeshift bed. The room did not have a window, and the child ultimately died from smoke inhalation. As Court TV recorded, the fire had been set by the couple’s 15-year-old son, who explained that he did so in a desperate attempt to escape the severe abuse he and his siblings faced at the hands of their parents.
Prosecutors say he walked six miles before approaching a church for help
During the trial, the jury was presented with details regarding the children’s daily lives. According to WSB-TV, evidence showed that the children were never enrolled in school, nor were they homeschooled by their parents. Instead, they were subjected to cruel punishments, which included being beaten, forced to wear shock collars, and made to stand naked on cinder blocks or milk crates for hours or even days at a time.
The home reportedly lacked basic amenities like running water or functional plumbing. Prosecutors noted that the children were forced to use buckets as toilets, which they were tasked with emptying only once or twice a week.
LIVE: GA v. William McCue — House of Horrors Murder Trial — Day 1
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Per the outlet, one social worker told a judge during court proceedings that “there was evidence that the children were to not leave the home for years. There was evidence that the children were not given adequate food.” Additionally, some of the children reportedly did not even know how to use toilet paper.
Following the discovery of Zowey’s body, WSB-TV reported that a warrant was issued for the parents’ arrest. William and Carina McCue initially vanished, leading to a manhunt. The couple was eventually located and arrested months later while living somewhere along the Appalachian Trail. They were taken to the Gwinnett County police department to face charges.
CBS noted that Carina McCue testified against her husband during the trial, as part of a plea deal. She admitted to the court that William McCue had confessed to her that he had raped their oldest daughter. The eldest daughter, who was 17 at the time of the fire, also took the stand to testify that her father had repeatedly sexually assaulted both her and her younger sister for years.
Carina McCue had previously pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree cruelty to children, aggravated assault, and false imprisonment. She was sentenced to 90 years in prison for her role in the abuse.
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WSB-TV noted that William McCue and his eldest daughter were not physically present in the home when the fire started. Despite that, the DA found him liable for the death of his younger daughter. Per reports, the jury found him guilty of felony murder, two counts of rape, three counts of aggravated child molestation, and two counts of incest. The jurors deliberated for less than four hours before reaching their verdict.
District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson expressed the severity of the situation following the conviction. “The treatment of these children was horrible,” she wrote in a press release announcing the sentencing. “This child’s death was unconscionable and preventable, and she and her siblings deserved better than they received from her parents.”
According to the district attorney’s office, “Evidence showed that the children flourished once they were away from their parents, although they were developmentally and educationally years behind their respective ages.” The four surviving children remain in protective custody.
This year has seen justice for children who faced abuse and neglect at the hands of their parental figures. In Wisconsin, Melissa Goodman pleaded no contest to neglect charges after her 14-year-old stepdaughter was found looking like she was six. In Kentucky, a couple was sentenced to 20 years after creating abusive conditions that were described as torture.
