A despicable Missouri couple allegedly locked terrified teens in a chicken pen, forced them to fight each other and shot at them with BB guns.
And after years of sickening abuse, their mother allegedly traded custody of the malnourished victims for a cell phone.
Chantel Hayford and Jerry Menees were arrested earlier this month following what police have described as severe child neglect and abuse that the 13 and 14-year-olds endured for at least two years.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) was notified of the situation in December when the Division of Family Services flagged the alleged horrors.
Evidence allegedly indicated a ‘pattern of ongoing abuse,’ including ‘fight nights,’ during which the victimized children had to harm each other, police said.
One of these disturbing adult-sanctioned altercations is said to have occurred at a child’s birthday party.
The teenagers’ mother, Hayford, faces accusations of ‘inappropriate sexual contact’ with one of the children.
Hayford and Menees allegedly gave her kids drugs and alcohol and refused to feed or house them, according to charging documents reviewed by WTOK.
Chantel Hayford was arrested on a slew of child abuse and neglect charges
Jerry Menees, Hayford’s boyfriend, allegedly participated in the sickening abuse of her children
The couple from hell is also accused of threatening the teens with real guns – warning them that they would be shot if they told anyone about the abuse, FOX 5 reported.
This all came to light after an adult guardian said the severely underweight kids came to her home and asked for food, according to a probable cause statement.
Their mother gave the woman custody of them. She received a cellphone and a phone plan in exchange, the woman claimed.
Authorities said the arrangement has been documented through a power of attorney.
Medical experts determined that the children – who were not enrolled in school – could not read or write.
The suspected child abusers were arrested on January 13 after authorities executed a search warrant at their Potosi home, where the abuse allegedly transpired.
Menees was charged with two counts of each of the following: first-degree kidnapping, first-degree endangering the welfare of a child, armed criminal action and abuse or neglect of a child.
He was also hit with one count of unlawful use of a weapon and three counts of domestic assault.
Hayford faces two counts each of first-degree kidnapping and first-degree domestic assault, one count of first-degree sexual abuse, three counts of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child, and four counts of abuse or neglect of a child.
According to a social media account appearing to be Hayford’s, she describes herself as a ‘hardworking mother of five’ who works as a cashier and salesperson.