29 Child Abuse Charges Filed Against Each Defendant

Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill announced 29 charges filed against Kristopher Riley North and Sarah Louise Sorensen, each connected to allegations of child abuse.

On August 21, 2024, police went to the residence of the defendants, where Ms. Sorenson reported that her roommate who she was in a romantic relationship with, Mr. North, had hit her 6 year old son and tried to strangle him. Red marks were on the child's neck, scratches on his body, severe bruising, and multiple open wounds on his buttocks. All three minor children of Ms. Sorensen were taken to the hospital for treatment. Through the investigation, detectives determined that Mr. North had allegedly been abusing the children since 2020, forcing them to do pushups, slapping them when they failed, kicking them on multiple occasions, and choking them. The children are 6, 8, and 9 years old. On one occasion, Mr. North allegedly pulled hair out of the 8 year old's head, leaving bald spots, and on another occasion, he pointed a gun at his face. Ms. Sorenson did not report the alleged abuse in the four years it was taking place.

The defendants were each charged with 21 counts of second-degree felony aggravated child abuse and 8 counts of class A misdemeanor child abuse.

"We all have a higher responsibility to look out for the wellbeing of the most vulnerable in our community. If you know or suspect that child abuse is taking place, we all have an obligation to contact law enforcement and report it. If an alleged crime is not reported, it cannot be investigated, and if it is not investigated, it cannot be prosecuted. If it is not prosecuted, then offenders cannot be held accountable. We appreciate the thorough investigation done by detectives at the Unified Police Department that made these charges possible, " said Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill. "All persons accused of wrongdoing are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law."

###