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Connellsville boys restrained, forced to smoke marijuana, police say

By Mark Hoffman and TribLIVE
By Mark Hoffman and TribLIVE

CONNELLSVILLE, Pa. — A couple is behind bars after they allegedly held two children against their will and had them smoke marijuana.

Kenneth Chester Zyskowski, also known as Chester Stone, 43, of Greensburg and Kaylee Lashae Brinker, 48, of Connellsville—no complete addresses available—were charged with two counts each of endangering the welfare of children, unlawful restraint of a minor with risk of bodily injury and corruption of minors before District Judge Brenda K. Cavalcante on June 23.

This article was written by Channel 11's news-exchange partners at TribLIVE.

The charges stem from an incident in which South Connellsville Police responded to a home along West Painter Street at about 10:21 p.m. April 11.

Two boys told police that while in the basement of the residence, they were restrained by Zyskowski and Brinker and not permitted to leave the basement, according to court documents.

While in a room in the basement, Zyskowski and Brinker forced the two boys to smoke marijuana to the degree where one of them passed out and the other became violently ill and vomited, thereby placing the two in serious danger of death or serious bodily injury, police said.

Both Zyskowski and Brinker were placed in the Fayette County Prison on June 23 in lieu of $15,000 bond.

A preliminary hearing was originally scheduled for July 3 before District Judge Ronald Haggerty Jr., but has been continued to a date not yet scheduled.

WPXI

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