WMass mother admits she failed to stop ex-husband from abusing girl

(WWLP) NORTHAMPTON, Mass. - A Pittsfield woman will be sentenced in Northampton Monday for failing to take action to protect a young girl from sexual abuse at the hands of her former husband.

According to a News Release from Northwestern District Attorney's Office spokeswoman Mary Carey, "Mackenzie Tarjick, 34, pleaded guilty in Hampshire Superior Court Monday to two counts of recklessly endangering a child.  Tarjick admitted she did not contact authorities after learning her then-husband had repeatedly sexually abused a young girl."

“The serial sexual abuse of an innocent child was horrific,” said Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan.

This past June, Tarjick’s former husband Aaron Tarjick pleaded guilty to a total of 17 counts of sexual acts toward  two separate child victims. He is currently serving 19-25 years in state prison.

The sexual abuse occurred in Dalton and Becket in Berkshire County, and Middlefield in Hampshire County.  The cases were joined and prosecuted in Hampshire County Superior Court in Northampton.

According to the release, the mother of a friend of the victim "told Judge Richard Carey that Mackenzie Tarjick learned in 2009 that Aaron Tarjick had sexually abused the victim since she was 9 years old... In a taped interview with police, Mackenzie Tarjick confessed to knowing of the abuse but not contacting authorities.

Mackenzie Tarjick allegedly admitted that she knew about the abuse but did nothing to stop it because she “needed” Aaron Tarjick.  The witness said Mackenzie Tarjick told her that after police searching Tarjick’s home did not find a DVD showing Aaron Tarjick abusing the child.  Mackenzie hid the DVD and that now it is gone."

Mackenzie Tarjick is scheduled to be sentenced in Hampshire County Superior Court on Monday, August 20 at 2:00 p. m.  She faces up to a maximum of two and a half years in prison on each charge, and Judge Carey said the sentences could be imposed so they would have to be served consecutively.