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3 women, including phlebotomist and dental school student, accused of abusing, torturing 2 girls

Posted at 6:43 PM, Jan 12, 2021
and last updated 2021-01-12 19:30:43-05

DETROIT (WXYZ) — A 9-year-old girl and her sister, who was 11 at the time, were being abused and tortured by 50-year-old Mary Hines and her two daughters inside a house on Detroit's east side, according to investigators.

Mary Hines, a phlebotomist, is now charged with two counts of torture, three counts of first-degree child abuse, and other varying degrees of abuse.

Sayvonna Hines, a 27-year-old nursing home worker, and Yarnise Hines, a 23-year-old student at Detroit Mercy Dental, are each charged with torture and child abuse.

The alleged victims are related to Mary and her daughters and in court, their attorneys suggested that the biological mother of the young girls coerced them into making the claims of abuse and torture because she was upset that the Hines were not giving her the money they were receiving to care for her daughters.

One of the girls had her arm tied behind her back with an extension cord while one of the women poured hot water down her back, according to information the magistrate was reading into the record during the arraignment for Mary and her daughter, Sayvonnaa.

During the arraignment for Yarnise, the magistrate revealed the victims were allegedly threatened with death if they told anyone.

It's alleged Mary choked one of the girls and threw her to the floor for going outside and later told Sayvonnaa to hit the girl over the head with a tennis racket.

Bond for Mary and her daughter Sayvonnaa was set at $50,000 cash or surety. Bond for Yarnise, who appeared before a different magistrate, was set at $75,000 (10%).

The alleged crimes took place over several months, beginning in March 2020. Mary told the magistrate that she took the girls to Virginia to live with their biological mother.

The three women have bonded out of jail and they are due back in court next week.

Action News went to the home of Mary Hines where she now lives in Macomb County. A man who answered the door declined to talk and her attorney did not return our call and text message seeking comment.