Police Make Arrests In Shocking New Arizona House Of Horrors Case

An Arizona couple is under investigation for child abuse after one of their four adopted kids escaped the family's squalid Tucson home on Feb. 17 and called 911 from a nearby Family Dollar store.

Pima County Sheriff's Office said Benito Gutierrez, 69, and Carol Gutierrez, 64, have been accused of child abuse after they allegedly held the children, who ranged in age from 6 to 12, captive and regularly deprived them of food and water.

Police also claimed the Gutierrezes regularly kept the youngsters captive in dark bedrooms, which locked from the outside, and refused them access to the bathroom, forcing them to use a bucket instead.

Officials discovered the abhorrent situation after one of the kids was able to get to a nearby dollar store after fleeing the family home though a bedroom window.

Neither Gutierrez has yet entered a plea in the disturbing case and the children have been placed in the state's care.

The shocking situation shares eerie similarities with another house of horrors recently discovered in Perris, Calif.

In that case, which came to light in January, David Allen and Louise Turpin were slapped with multiple charges against their 13 children, including abuse, torture and false imprisonment, after their 17-year-old daughter was able to flee their home and call for help.

The Turpins have pleaded not guilty.