San Diego couple sentenced to 25 years for torture of 7-year-old girl

Devin Hughes, 39, and Kayla Reynolds, 32, have been sentenced to 25 years in state prison following their guilty pleas to 15 felony counts, including torture, child abuse, and mayhem. The crimes were committed against Hughes’s 7-year-old biological niece while she was in their care at a mobile home in Boulevard, a rural community in southeastern San Diego County.

Prosecutors detailed a pattern of systematic cruelty, alleging the couple starved the child, burned her with vape pens, and forced her to drink dirty toilet water. The victim was also reportedly chained to a treadmill with a cable lock and forced to sleep on the floor. The abuse was discovered in July 2025 after the girl managed to escape the residence and seek help from a neighbor.

Upon responding to the scene, San Diego County sheriff’s deputies found the child covered in bruises, scars, and burn marks. Medical staff at Rady Children’s Hospital noted the child had gained five pounds during her treatment, suggesting severe nutritional deprivation prior to her rescue. The victim has since been placed with another family member.