Authorities in Canada announced this Monday the arrest of a couple they accuse of sexually and physically abusing at least 41 people, including children, over a period of 17 years.
The police in Toronto reported in a statement that they began to investigate Martin Wettlaufer, of 37 years, and Kathleen Wardlaw, of 42, in January of 2020.
Although it is not clear what triggered the investigation, the authorities discovered that both abused men, women and children. Some of these attacks were recorded and shared online.
The Toronto Star reported that Wettlaufer was recently supposed to appear at a hearing via Zoom. However, prison staff did not take him to the video conference room due to unspecified security concerns. Both are supposed to attend a hearing on Friday.
Wettlaufer and Wardlaw face hundreds of charges related to the sexual assaults that would have been reported in residential buildings in the aforementioned Canadian city. Toronto police spokeswoman Meaghan Gray confirmed to CBC News that the suspects were in a romantic relationship.
Authorities are looking for other possible victims.
The investigators have shared very few details of the case.
For example, at the moment, it is unknown how the alleged aggressors found to the victims.