Idyllic neighborhood is living in fear after couple and their three young children were horrifically tortured in their home by masked intruders
A sleepy North Carolina street lives in fear after a gang of masked intruders enter a family home and torture the parents and children inside.
Residents on the streets in Harnett County say they are improving their home security after the Morales-Torres family was brutally attacked this month.
Investigators say they are still unsure why the family was attacked so viciously, with the masked invaders stealing a stash of belongings after the two parents and three young children were tortured.
According to Harnett County Sheriff Wayne Coats, the burglars tormented the family with a painful method by heating a knife on the stove and sticking it to their bodies.
Masked intruders terrifyingly attacked the North Carolina home of this family of five, torturing the parents and children as they ransacked the property
Maricela Morales, her husband and three children were all targeted in the horrific ordeal, which her sister said left them “suffering physically, emotionally and mentally.”
The terrifying ordeal came as the family of five sat in their garage at 2am with the door open, and the intruders were evicted nearby.
The group then stormed the house and held the family at knifepoint, forcing Maricela Morales, her husband Arturo Torres and their three children inside before carrying out the sickening episode.
Coats said the brutal torture method was the worst he had ever seen in his career, and was an attempt “to get (the family) to tell them where their money and guns were.”
The house was ransacked and the group stole a number of items, but reportedly found no money or weapons on the property.
After leaving the family injured and terrified in the house, the masked mob fled the scene in two stolen vehicles.
Police have not made any arrests at the time of writing and did not immediately respond to a request for an update on the investigation.
a GoFundMe was launched by Morales’ sister to help the family cover medical costs and restore their lives.
“Words cannot describe the pain and devastation our family is experiencing right now,” the fundraiser read.
“My sister and her family are suffering physically, emotionally and mentally. Our extended family and close friends are devastated. Their home was destroyed and their peace of mind and safety will never feel the same again.”
Residents on the streets say they are terrified as the suspects remain at large and are taking new security measures
With the suspects still at large, the sleepy North Carolina street where they were attacked remains tense.
Their neighbor Jeffery Miller told them WRAL that he plans to improve security at his home, and said he “feels so sorry for their family.”
“I had security installed yesterday,” he said. “I thought I was security, but now I have to have a camera.”
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office tip line at 910-893-0300.