PRICE, Utah (ABC 4 News) A couple and their roommate are behind bars after police arrested them for sexually molesting several young children.
Amanda and Tim Romano are accused of sexually molesting several children, many of whom they babysat.
Police say Tyler Barney who also lived with the couple is also accused of molesting children.
“When you see something that allegedly deviant like this, it is very, very disturbing," says Price police Captain Bill Barnes.
Barnes says the Romano couple is from Florida and also lived in West Valley, Hurricane and Price. He says they are also being investigated for similar crimes by police agencies in some of those areas.
The trio lived at an apartment near 1600 East and 300 South. At the complex, many of their neighbors suspected something was wrong.
"She is a lost soul,” says Carol Flower who met one of the children who may have been a victim.
Flower also lives next to the Romanos and recalls talking with Amanda after police interviewed her.
“She said she didn't do anything, she didn't do anything,” Flower says.
Others suspected there was something wrong at the Romano household.
Neighbors claim a young victim the couple befriended tried to get other children to come to the couple’s house.
“I just would see a lot of the children playing outside and she would always invite the other girls over (to the home),” says Skye Cloward.
But other parents who witnessed the same thing refused to let their children go over there.
“They were friends but I never let my child go over there because it was a little odd,” says Sonia Power.
Police say the victims were as young as two years old and the oldest being fifteen.
“Wow, pretty sad,” says Julie Flower who lives nearby. “I am a mom and that's pretty sad.”
Police say the children are undergoing counseling but have a long road in front of them.
Carol Flower agrees with that. She knows from first hand experience. She says she was abused as a child.
“I am 63 years old and I am still having nightmares,” she says.
What’s unusual about the case is that Amanda Romano was the one facing the most charges.
The Carbon County district attorney charged her with 15-counts ranging from object rape to child abuse. Her husband Tim Romano was charged with two-counts of aggravated child sex abuse.
As for Barney, he was arrested, but as of Thursday, had not been charged.
