kelloggs5TLfan
Team Owner
http://www.ksbitv.com/news/62433577.html
KSBI News
Story Created: Sep 28, 2009 at 5:43 PM CDT
(Story Updated: Sep 28, 2009 at 6:09 PM CDT )
Oklahoma City Police said when they first saw the 14-year-old boy, they noticed he smelled bad and his body was covered with scars. The boy told police that he was hungry and had been abused and locked up in a closet for the past four years.
"You can tell he's been beaten all his life," said Diana Harlan, neighbor.
Harlan said she's noticed her 14-year-old neighbor with scars all over his body, and she blames it on his mother.
37-year-old, LaRhonda McCall and her friend, 38-year-old, Steve Hamilton are accused of repeatedly beating and choking the boy. Police said at one point, the two set the boy on fire and stabbed him.
"For the past four years, much of the time he was locked in a closet and often times went days without food," said Master Sgt. Gary Knight, Oklahoma City Police Department.
Luckily, police said the boy was able to push the door open and get away. A passerby drove the boy to the Oklahoma National Guard headquarters, where the boy asked for help. Police found that the boy had been moved several times in Oklahoma City, and they said in all of the locations, he was tortured.
"The 14-year-old boy has scars, unbelievable. He will not talk because his vocal cords have been damaged. He has scars from head to toe, burn marks, and you can tell he's been set on fire," said Harlan.
Harlan said she's known McCall and her kids for a couple of months and that their home wreaks of feces and urine.
"I've been in there to visit with the mom and the dad, and it's a smell you don't ever want to experience. It's worse than working on a pig farm," said Harlan.
But McCall's next-door neighbor said he hasn't seen or heard of anything suspicious, and he never suspected McCall to be a bad mother.
"It's just crazy especially when you've talked to this person for an hour or two hours, just trying to get to know your neighbor. You would never think. She was just a sweet, young lady. You just didn't think it would be of her," said ElRico Anderson, neighbor.
Police said that McCall had seven other children living in the apartment, but none of them are victims of abuse. All of them are in protective custody, except one who is at least 18 years old. The boy was treated at a local hospital and is also in protective custody.
McCall and Hamilton are each charged with 20 counts or child abuse and 20 counts of child neglect. Both are being held on $400,000 bond.
KSBI News
Story Created: Sep 28, 2009 at 5:43 PM CDT
(Story Updated: Sep 28, 2009 at 6:09 PM CDT )
Oklahoma City Police said when they first saw the 14-year-old boy, they noticed he smelled bad and his body was covered with scars. The boy told police that he was hungry and had been abused and locked up in a closet for the past four years.
"You can tell he's been beaten all his life," said Diana Harlan, neighbor.
Harlan said she's noticed her 14-year-old neighbor with scars all over his body, and she blames it on his mother.
37-year-old, LaRhonda McCall and her friend, 38-year-old, Steve Hamilton are accused of repeatedly beating and choking the boy. Police said at one point, the two set the boy on fire and stabbed him.
"For the past four years, much of the time he was locked in a closet and often times went days without food," said Master Sgt. Gary Knight, Oklahoma City Police Department.
Luckily, police said the boy was able to push the door open and get away. A passerby drove the boy to the Oklahoma National Guard headquarters, where the boy asked for help. Police found that the boy had been moved several times in Oklahoma City, and they said in all of the locations, he was tortured.
"The 14-year-old boy has scars, unbelievable. He will not talk because his vocal cords have been damaged. He has scars from head to toe, burn marks, and you can tell he's been set on fire," said Harlan.
Harlan said she's known McCall and her kids for a couple of months and that their home wreaks of feces and urine.
"I've been in there to visit with the mom and the dad, and it's a smell you don't ever want to experience. It's worse than working on a pig farm," said Harlan.
But McCall's next-door neighbor said he hasn't seen or heard of anything suspicious, and he never suspected McCall to be a bad mother.
"It's just crazy especially when you've talked to this person for an hour or two hours, just trying to get to know your neighbor. You would never think. She was just a sweet, young lady. You just didn't think it would be of her," said ElRico Anderson, neighbor.
Police said that McCall had seven other children living in the apartment, but none of them are victims of abuse. All of them are in protective custody, except one who is at least 18 years old. The boy was treated at a local hospital and is also in protective custody.
McCall and Hamilton are each charged with 20 counts or child abuse and 20 counts of child neglect. Both are being held on $400,000 bond.