MARTINSBURG - A Berkeley County man who allegedly punished his 5-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter by starving them and forcing them to live in an unfinished basement remained in custody Tuesday at Eastern Regional Jail following his arrest Monday on child abuse charges.

Jesse Arlo Lafferty, 32, of Labonte Drive, was arraigned late Monday afternoon by Magistrate JoAnn Overington on two counts each of child abuse, child neglect, conspiracy to commit child neglect and conspiracy to commit child abuse.

Lafferty's girlfriend, Karen Sue Boback, also of Labonte Drive, faces the same charges and warrants for her arrest have been filed, but she has not yet been arraigned on them as of Tuesday.

According to court records, on Friday, a state Department of Health and Human Resources representative contacted Cpl. J.M. Walker of the West Virginia State Police requesting assistance with an investigation.

Walker was told that a caseworker was attempting to take custody of two children living at Lafferty's home who she believed were exhibiting signs of starvation.

"They were trying to take custody of two children. The father (Lafferty) was being irate and they believed - DHHR told me there could be an issue with the two children because they looked like they were starving to death," Walker said Tuesday.

Walker then traveled to the residence, located at 292 Labonte Drive near Martinsburg, and found a 5-year-old boy and 3-year-old girl who both appeared sickly and malnourished.

"They exhibited signs of being starved to death," Walker said. "I mean they had very little muscle on their bones and obviously no fat."

During a walkthrough of the home, Walker noted that the refrigerator had a padlock installed on the door and the food pantry had a deadbolt that required a key to open, records show.

Walker also found the basement door had a lock on it with a doorbell installed at the top, which would sound every time the door opened and closed. Other than a small piece of carpet and a few blankets, the entire concrete basement was unfinished. Walker also found a baby monitor and toys in the vicinity of the blankets and a child's portable toilet in the corner.

"It appeared that the children spent a substantial amount of time in that unfinished basement," Walker said.

The following day, Sgt. D.E. Boober spoke to a forensic nurse at Winchester Medical Center regarding her findings of an examination performed on the two victim children. She stated that it was evident that both children were underweight and malnourished.

"She indicated that they were exhibiting classic signs of starvation and they were malnourished," Walker said.

On Monday, Boback was interviewed by police after more information was obtained from other witnesses. When questioned, she stated that Lafferty would punish his children by making them take cold showers, withholding food from them, spanking them with a belt and making them stay the night in the unfinished basement.

"I was told between 50 and 60 percent of their time was spent in the basement," Walker said.

Boback also told police that Lafferty sometimes withheld food from his children for more than 24 hours.

"A little bit later on during questioning she stated that, 'Well, Jesse didn't starve them all the time.' After further questioning based upon that statement that she made, she stated that there were times where he would only feed them once during a 24-hour period or they would not even be fed during a 24-hour period," Walker said.

When questioned even further, Boback said that out of seven days a week, Lafferty would withhold food from his children for two or three days a week.

Boback also stated she believed it was a crime what Lafferty did to his two children after being asked by Walker.

"I (also) said do you think it's a crime that you did not come forth to authorities and alert them of what was occurring (and) do you think that was a crime that you failed to do that. She said yeah," Walker said. "She has a responsibility definitely. These are helpless individuals."

Walker said he believed the reason why Boback hadn't been arraigned yet on the charges she faces in the case is because she was reported to be in the hospital.

Boback has two children herself who also lived at Lafferty's home on a temporary basis. Statements also were taken from those children, which corroborated the abuse detailed by Boback during questioning. Boback's children did not show signs of abuse.

"They were fine. Those two children had their own bedrooms, their own bed and everything. Jesse's children were confined to a concrete basement and lived on a concrete floor," Walker said.

Lafferty's two children are currently in the custody of DHHR, and Walker said he believed they have since been placed in a foster home.

"I do know that right after they got a ride to the DHHR they were fed and they ate continuously," Walker said.

Lafferty is currently being held on a $140,000 bail. If convicted, he faces a maximum of one to 10 years in prison on the child neglect charges and one to five years in prison on the child abuse charges.