A mother and a stepfather have been charged with torture and neglect after it emerged that they allegedly beat her children and made them sleep outside in an igloo-shaped doghouse.
The stepfather is also suspected of having sexually abused his stepdaughter and the police are investigating the disappearance and possible murder of her brother.
It is alleged that the mother and stepfather, who have been named as Camille Rechae Lewis and John Lawrence Miles, forced the children to sleep in a closet for days at a time without food and with nothing but a cup to urinate and defecate into.
It is also alleged that the young boy, instead of being taken to hospital, died and was buried in a park before his remains were dug up and burnt.
The police in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in the USA, reportedly began investigating after the alarm was raised by the girl’s grandmother.
Newsflash obtained a statement from Tulsa police saying: “On 27th January, a grandmother called Tulsa Police to file a report about a child that was missing for several years and possibly deceased, along with serious continued sexual abuse to another child.
“The grandmother said her daughter, Camille Lewis, left her 13-year-old daughter to live with her last September, and the girl was skin and bones from malnourishment.
“At the time, the grandmother said Lewis said her 11-year-old son was deceased.”
The 13-year-old girl, who has not been named, claimed she was repeatedly beaten and locked up. The police said: “Child Crisis Detectives interviewed the 13-year-old girl. She said that her mother, Camille Lewis, and her stepfather, John Miles, would lock her and her brother in separate closets for days at a time, not feed them, and beat them with belts and cords.
“The girl said at times she had to urinate/defecate in a bag/cup in the closet.”
The girl claimed that she was sexually abused by Miles, with the police statement saying: “The girl told detectives the abuse started in November of 2020 and ended in September of 2022 when she went to live with her grandmother.
“The girl said John Miles would offer her food in exchange for sexual favours.”
The child also told police that she and her brother were often made to sleep outside in a doghouse. The statement said: “She said sometimes she and her brother would be forced to sleep in an igloo-style doghouse in the backyard and exercise outdoors in very cold weather.
“The girl said in March of 2021, she heard her mother crying and begging her brother to wake up. The girl said her mother later told her that her brother had a seizure and died, and they did not take him to the hospital because they did not want to be in trouble.”
The police said that the girl told them that her brother had been buried in a park. The statement said: “The girl said in August of 2021, her mother told her that her younger brother died in her arms and that John Miles and a cousin buried the brother in a park.
“The girl said her mom disclosed that Miles later went back and dug the brother’s body up, brought him back to the house, burned the body in a barrel, then discarded the ashes in a drainage system.
“On 7th February 2023, Camille Lewis was taken into custody. She admitted to abusing the children and causing scars all over her daughter’s body.”
But the mum claims her son run away two years ago. The police said: “Camille Lewis claims her son ran away two years ago and has not been seen since.
“On 8th February 2023, John Miles was taken into custody.”
The police said that Miles and Lewsis were arrested for child abuse by injury and child neglect, adding that their bond is currently set at USD 600,000 (GBP 502,200).
But the police also said that the charges could change depending on what their investigation reveals. They said: “Detectives are actively investigating this case, and at this time this is considered to be a homicide investigation. The remains of the brother have not been found. Charges could be amended depending on the outcome of the investigation.”
The investigation is ongoing.
