Man accused of abusing twin 'wives'

STOCKTON, Mo. -- A 42-year-old southwest Missouri man has been charged with sexually abusing twin sisters who said they both married the man in a religious ceremony.

Charles Laub, of Humansville, has been charged in Cedar County with forcible rape, sexual assault and domestic assault. Laub has been released on bond.

A preliminary hearing has been set for April 13.

The women, 27, said they were not legally married to Laub but participated in a religious ceremony in 2001, according to a probable-cause statement that said the crimes occurred between 2009 and 2011.

The Springfield News-Leader reported that a Cedar County Circuit Court Judge has also granted a temporary protection order giving the women custody of their children. One sister has three children and the other has five.

The women told authorities that Laub isolated them from family and friends and would not allow the children to go to school or visit a doctor.

One of the women told authorities that when her daughter had the measles she tried to take her to a doctor but Laub said, "God would approve of her dying rather than receiving treatment from a doctor," according to the court document.