City couple charged with beating children using curtain rod, other items waive preliminary hearings

A Lancaster city couple charged with beating two children using household objects including a curtain rod will have their cases proceed to county court after waiving their preliminary hearings last month.

Gebron Lamont Reid and Malina Ounn, both of the 600 block of East King Street, waived their preliminary hearings before Judge Jodie Richardson on Nov. 26 on two counts of endangering the welfare of children and two counts of simple assault. Ounn is also charged with a single count of terroristic threats.

Ounn, 29, and Reid, 31, are accused of beating the victims with their fists and various household objects multiple times at a Lancaster city residence between July and December 2024.

One of the victims told police Reid and Ounn struck her in the face, head, back and stomach numerous times with items including a curtain rod and an extension cord.

During one December 2024 incident, the victim said Ounn threatened to kill her. The victim was so frightened by Ounn’s words and actions that she fled the residence, she told police.

A second victim told police Reid and Ounn hit her in the back, face and stomach using a wooden stick.

Reid is also accused of screaming at and threatening an assistant district attorney during a scheduled preliminary hearing on the matter on Oct. 6. Reid was charged with retaliation against a prosecutor or judicial official and terroristic threats for that incident.

Both defendants are currently free after Reid posted $100,000 bail for the Oct. 6 incident. Ounn is free on $5,000 unsecured bail.

Lancaster City Bureau of Police Officer Micaela Heckman filed the charges.

Assistant District Attorney Fritz Haverstick will prosecute the cases.

All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.