By . Gavin Allen . UPDATED: . 07:53 EST, 20 December 2011 . A mentally disabled man was allegedly chained up in a basement by a convicted killer who stole his benefit cheques, the first victim testimony in the Philadelphia 'House of Horrors' case has revealed. Edwin Sanabria, 31, was one of four adults found locked in the squalid basement in October. Police said he and his fellow victims had the mental capacity of 10-year-olds. He bore scars on his back and chest. Linda Ann Weston, 51, is accused of being the ringleader of a gang that, over 10 years, kept as many as 50 adults and children in the same kind of conditions in order to 'steal' their government benefit cheques. Emaciated victims: (L-R) Tamara Breeden, Derwin McLemire and Herbert Knowles gave a TV interview after being rescued from the basement . Horror chamber: The dark and filthy basement where four disabled people were kept chained to pipes . Stairs to basement: Weston's daughter Jean McIntosh, 32, lived in a property above the boiler room where the victims were found . Weston's daughter Jean McIntosh, 32, . boyfriend Gregory Thomas, 47, and friend Eddie 'the Reverend Ed' Wright, . 50, have also been charged in the case. There were gasps as hospital . photographs of Mr Sanabria's injuries were shown in court, along with . images of the injuries to his girlfriend Tamara Breeden, and their . fellow victims Drwin McLemire and Herbert Knowles.  The victims have the mental capacity of 10-year-olds, authorities have said. Emaciated Breeden's hip bone was . protruding through her skin, she had a badly damaged ear and dozens of . welts, bruises and lacerations on her scalp, legs, arms and back. Drwin McLemire had several open, . infected wounds on his legs. Knowles, who was found chained to a boiler, . had a lump on his forehead. Weston is accused of running the . benefit-fraud scheme in several states from 2002 until her arrest in . October, after a landlord stumbled on the captives. Mr Sanabria testified that Weston . took him to a government office in 2001 to sign paperwork and that he . never again saw his monthly $674 cheques, or his food stamp card. 'Ringleader': Linda Ann Weston, 51, left, is one of four suspects . charged with detaining four mentally disabled people. Her daughter Jean . McIntosh, 32, right, lived above the basement where the victims were found . Charged: Gregory Thomas (left) and Eddie Wright (right) have also been charged in the 'House of Horrors' case . Prosecutors suspect Weston had . perhaps dozens of adult and child victims, including her 19-year-old . niece. She was in possession of more than 50 Social Security cards, . power of attorney documents and similar forms when she was arrested. At the preliminary hearing, Mr . Sanabria testified that the victims had been kept in the Philadelphia . basement for 10 days, using a bucket for a bathroom and being fed just . once or twice a day. Weston's daughter had an apartment upstairs. Police officer John Murphy testified . that when he entered the basement, 'The stench in the room and on their . person was unbearable.' Asked to describe the smell further, he said, 'Basically, death.' Mr Sanabria said that he, along with . the other victims, moved with Weston's gang between Philadelphia and . Texas, Florida and Virginia over the past decade. However, Weston's lawyer told the court that the group - the victims and the accused - were 'a family'. Vile: Makeshift beds and dirty blankets filled the sub-basement which was home to four vulnerable individuals . Makeshift prison cell: Authorities fear as many as 50 victims - adults and children - have been kept in the same kinds of conditions over the last decade . A police officer stands at the foot of the stairs to the basement boiler room where the victims were held captive . Under questioning from Weston's . lawyer, Mr Sanabria conceded that he was never forced to move with them . or give her control of his finances. 'Everybody moved as if you were a family, right?' said Weston's lawyer, George S. Yacoubian Jr. 'Right,' said Mr Sanabria. 'At any point during the last 10 years when you were living with Linda, did you ever scream for help?' asked Mr Yacoubian Jr. 'No,' Mr Sanabria replied. But Mr Sanabria also said he was not . allowed to go outside without permission and was typically kept in a . locked basement, attic or wardrobe. Mr Sanabria testified that Weston, . Thomas and, less often, Wright beat some of the victims with bare hands . or weapons that included bats, chains and extension cords. Mr Sanabria said that he, too, had frequently beat Breeden and McLemire when Weston told him to. Mr Sanabria, who also testified he . was once kept in a wardrobe that was nailed shut by Weston, is now . recovering well, according to his brother. In the last few days prosecutors . added a list of new charges to the case with counts against Weston . including promoting prostitution and custody interference. The existing charges include kidnapping, . aggravated assault, custodial interference, theft by deception and . neglect of a care-dependent person. The suspects, all from Philadelphia, remain in custody. They haven't yet entered pleas. Weston is a convicted killer. She was jailed for the 1981 killing of Bernardo Ramos, 25, who she locked in a wardrobe and fed just twice in two months.
Ringleader Linda Ann Weston, 51, charged with kidnap, abuse and fraud .
Four victims found scarred, bruised and emaciated .
Gasps in courtroom when photos of victims were shown as evidence .
Gang 'kept them chained up to take their benefit cheques'
Victims made to beat each other with weapons at Weston's command .
By . Gavin Allen . UPDATED: . 07:53 EST, 20 December 2011 . A mentally disabled man was allegedly chained up in a basement by a convicted killer who stole his benefit cheques, the first victim testimony in the Philadelphia 'House of Horrors' case has revealed. Edwin Sanabria, 31, was one of four adults found locked in the squalid basement in October. Police said he and his fellow victims had the mental capacity of 10-year-olds. He bore scars on his back and chest. Linda Ann Weston, 51, is accused of being the ringleader of a gang that, over 10 years, kept as many as 50 adults and children in the same kind of conditions in order to 'steal' their government benefit cheques. Emaciated victims: (L-R) Tamara Breeden, Derwin McLemire and Herbert Knowles gave a TV interview after being rescued from the basement . Horror chamber: The dark and filthy basement where four disabled people were kept chained to pipes . Stairs to basement: Weston's daughter Jean McIntosh, 32, lived in a property above the boiler room where the victims were found . Weston's daughter Jean McIntosh, 32, . boyfriend Gregory Thomas, 47, and friend Eddie 'the Reverend Ed' Wright, . 50, have also been charged in the case. There were gasps as hospital . photographs of Mr Sanabria's injuries were shown in court, along with . images of the injuries to his girlfriend Tamara Breeden, and their . fellow victims Drwin McLemire and Herbert Knowles.  The victims have the mental capacity of 10-year-olds, authorities have said. Emaciated Breeden's hip bone was . protruding through her skin, she had a badly damaged ear and dozens of . welts, bruises and lacerations on her scalp, legs, arms and back. Drwin McLemire had several open, . infected wounds on his legs. Knowles, who was found chained to a boiler, . had a lump on his forehead. Weston is accused of running the . benefit-fraud scheme in several states from 2002 until her arrest in . October, after a landlord stumbled on the captives. Mr Sanabria testified that Weston . took him to a government office in 2001 to sign paperwork and that he . never again saw his monthly $674 cheques, or his food stamp card. 'Ringleader': Linda Ann Weston, 51, left, is one of four suspects . charged with detaining four mentally disabled people. Her daughter Jean . McIntosh, 32, right, lived above the basement where the victims were found . Charged: Gregory Thomas (left) and Eddie Wright (right) have also been charged in the 'House of Horrors' case . Prosecutors suspect Weston had . perhaps dozens of adult and child victims, including her 19-year-old . niece. She was in possession of more than 50 Social Security cards, . power of attorney documents and similar forms when she was arrested. At the preliminary hearing, Mr . Sanabria testified that the victims had been kept in the Philadelphia . basement for 10 days, using a bucket for a bathroom and being fed just . once or twice a day. Weston's daughter had an apartment upstairs. Police officer John Murphy testified . that when he entered the basement, 'The stench in the room and on their . person was unbearable.' Asked to describe the smell further, he said, 'Basically, death.' Mr Sanabria said that he, along with . the other victims, moved with Weston's gang between Philadelphia and . Texas, Florida and Virginia over the past decade. However, Weston's lawyer told the court that the group - the victims and the accused - were 'a family'. Vile: Makeshift beds and dirty blankets filled the sub-basement which was home to four vulnerable individuals . Makeshift prison cell: Authorities fear as many as 50 victims - adults and children - have been kept in the same kinds of conditions over the last decade . A police officer stands at the foot of the stairs to the basement boiler room where the victims were held captive . Under questioning from Weston's . lawyer, Mr Sanabria conceded that he was never forced to move with them . or give her control of his finances. 'Everybody moved as if you were a family, right?' said Weston's lawyer, George S. Yacoubian Jr. 'Right,' said Mr Sanabria. 'At any point during the last 10 years when you were living with Linda, did you ever scream for help?' asked Mr Yacoubian Jr. 'No,' Mr Sanabria replied. But Mr Sanabria also said he was not . allowed to go outside without permission and was typically kept in a . locked basement, attic or wardrobe. Mr Sanabria testified that Weston, . Thomas and, less often, Wright beat some of the victims with bare hands . or weapons that included bats, chains and extension cords. Mr Sanabria said that he, too, had frequently beat Breeden and McLemire when Weston told him to. Mr Sanabria, who also testified he . was once kept in a wardrobe that was nailed shut by Weston, is now . recovering well, according to his brother. In the last few days prosecutors . added a list of new charges to the case with counts against Weston . including promoting prostitution and custody interference. The existing charges include kidnapping, . aggravated assault, custodial interference, theft by deception and . neglect of a care-dependent person. The suspects, all from Philadelphia, remain in custody. They haven't yet entered pleas. Weston is a convicted killer. She was jailed for the 1981 killing of Bernardo Ramos, 25, who she locked in a wardrobe and fed just twice in two months.
allegedly chained up in a basement by a convicted government benefit cheques. Emaciated victims: kept chained to pipes . Stairs to basement: card. 'Ringleader': Linda Ann Weston, 51, left, is one of four suspects . charged with detaining where the victims were found . Charged: Gregory with Weston's gang between Philadelphia and .