Austin Frazier and Kayla Frazier (Boyd County Detention Center)
A 27-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman in Kentucky have been arrested for allegedly torturing a 9-year-old girl in numerous horrific ways before she was finally able to escape the home and reach a neighbor for help. Austin Frazier and Kayla Frazier were taken into custody on Thursday and charged with one count each of first-degree criminal child abuse of a victim under age 12, authorities announced.
According to a news release from the Ashland Police Department, officers at about 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 25 responded to 911 calls regarding possible child abuse occurring at a residence located on 43rd Street in Ashland.
Upon arriving at the scene, first responders located a 9-year-old juvenile “who was suffering from apparent visible injuries.” Police said the victim “had just fled her residence,” which is where the abuse had taken place, and ran to the home of a neighbor who then called 911.
The child was immediately transported to King’s Daughters Medical Center for treatment.
“APD Detectives arrived and conducted interviews where information was garnered that would show a substantial history of physical child abuse,” police wrote in the release. “Patrol Officers and Detectives on scene executed a search warrant and were able to collect critical evidence which corroborates facts gathered previously.”
Following the search of the home, Kayla and Austin Frazier were taken into custody on child abuse charges.
Court documents obtained by The Daily Independent provided additional details about the alleged abuse Kayla and Austin Frazier inflicted on the child.
According to a probable cause affidavit, when the victim escaped the home, she ran to the neighbor’s house, pounded on the door, and told the residents — whom she did not know — that she had just been physically assaulted. It was raining outside and the child was reportedly soaking wet while she was pounding on the door.
The neighbor told the newspaper that he “called the cops immediately” after the little girl showed up at his home.
“As you looked at her, you could see the gash on her head — at some point had a black eye. It seemed like an end of a movie when a kid is in a stress situation and they finally get out to be able to go somewhere safe and be free,” the male neighbor said.
An adult female also lived in the neighboring house. She spoke with the newspaper as well, explaining that after letting the child into the house, they provided her with Kool-Aid and food before asking how she came to suffer so many injuries.
“She didn’t hide anything; she was open about it all,” the female neighbor told the Independent. “Even though she was scared, she was so sweet, funny, and charismatic. It’s like, she is either in complete utter shock or this is so normal to her — either way, it’s heartbreaking.”
The victim reportedly said that the Fraziers had forced her hand onto a hot stove, bashed her in the head with a hard object, and struck her with a metal pipe. In the affidavit, police wrote that the victim had “a deep laceration over one of her eyes, along with a burn mark on the palm of her hand,” Charleston, West Virginia ABC and Fox affiliate WCHS-TV reported.
The neighbors also told the paper that the “scariest part” of the evening was when “family members of the juvenile” came to their home before police arrived and began “pounding” on their front door.
“They were beating the door like they knew they messed up,” the male neighbor reportedly said.
The paper also reported that doctors discovered the victim had “several broken bones in various stages of healing,” which is a telltale sign of long-term physical abuse, per WCHS.
Police said the investigation into the Fraziers is ongoing and indicated they are expecting additional charges to be filed against them.
Austin and Kayla Frazier are both being held in the Boyd County Detention Center where their bonds have been set at $100,000 each.
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