Magisterial District Judge David Plachko held all charges over for the Schuylkill County Court of Common Pleas after a lengthy preliminary hearing for the trio charged in the Minersville attic case.

Plachko said the evidence shows a “systemic and repeated physical harm at the hands of the defendants,” Todd Matthew Richter II, Jennifer Yost, and Wendy Yost.

He said the welfare of the children was in danger. Charging documents detail abuse at the hands of the three to the three children identified as Jr, a 9-year-old girl; DR, an 11-year-old boy; and BR, a 12-year-old boy, police said. SR, a 3-year-old girl was not a victim.

The lawyers for the defendants asked to have several of the charges dismissed before the ruling. The defendants are in Schuylkill County Prison and participated via video for the hearing.

The allegations against them came to light March 10 when Minersville patrolman Richard Clink was notified by the Schuylkill County Communications Center for a report of a juvenile in distress.