Police have arrested and charged six brothers from North Carolina for allegedly sexually abusing their own sister for 10 years. Their parents were likewise charged with felony child abuse.

Charges against the brothers ranged from rape to sexual assault. They were identified as:

  1. Aaron Jackson, 19
  2. Benjamin Jackson, 19
  3. Nathaniel Jackson, 21
  4. Mathew Jackson, 23
  5. Jon Jackson, 25
  6. Eric Jackson, 27

Their parents are John Jackson, 65, and Nita Jackson, 54.

The brothers began raping their sister when she was just 4 years old and continued until she was almost 15 which court documents dated January 2003 through December 2012. She is now 16 years old.

Perquimans County Sheriff Eric Tilley learnt of the crime after one of the brothers came forward to the police in December 2012 to confess the crime after speaking with a pastor. Two brothers came forward to confirm the crime.

Tilley said the brothers live with their parents in a secluded house in Hertford and were homeschooled.

"I blame the parents for this," Mr Tilley told The Huffington Post. "It's your responsibility as a parent to teach [your children] right and wrong. When you see a child doing something that is totally wrong and you don't correct them, then the child thinks it's OK."

When police attempted to talk with the girl, the parents won't allow it. They eventually moved to Colorado, presumably to avoid further scrutiny, Tilley said.

North Carolina coordinated with Colorado. The Department of Human Services in Colorado Springs eventually managed to take custody of the victim. North Carolina police was then able to talk to the girl about the alleged sexual abuse.

In her eight-hour interview with the police, "she confirmed everything her brothers told us."

"Part of the investigation revealed that, at one point, the mother observed some of this activity and never did anything about it," Tilley said of the charges against the parents.

Tilley described the family as "bizarre."

"The children were home schooled with very limited education," the sheriff noted. "They were very private and the whole yard has a fence around it -- like a little compound. They're very different."

The brothers are now held on $150,000 bond. The parents have been released on $15,000 bond.