From left: Dianne, Ryan and Maverick Nichols (Jackson County Jail).
Three people in Missouri are accused of abusing children in their home that included depriving them of food for up to six days and forcing them to write Bible verses before being allowed to eat.
Ryan Nichols and Dianne Nichols, both 47, face a slew of child abuse or neglect charges while Maverick Nichols, 22, stands accused of sodomy and rape. The investigation began in June 2023 when a girl accused Maverick Nichols of forcing her to perform sexual acts over several years, a probable cause arrest affidavit said. She lived at the Nichols home, though her relationship with the defendants was redacted to protect her identity.
She described a “restrictive and abusive home environment” where she and other children were “confined to their rooms for extended periods each day under strict surveillance of Dianne, Ryan and, at times, Maverick,” cops wrote.
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“Surveillance cameras were placed in their rooms and access to basic necessities such as bathroom breaks were controlled; the children had to raise their hands and wait for permission, often for prolonged periods,” the complaint stated.
The girl also said she was subjected to “physical beatings and starvation, with the longest period without food lasting six days.”
Another child said also was confined daily to his room and “enforced silence” was maintained through “white noise machines,” according to cops. He was once denied bathroom access for so long that he had to escape through a window to relieve himself, the affidavit said.
“He reported that food deprivation and excessive writing tasks were common punishments, and he often stood for long periods to avoid these penalties,” cops wrote.
Dianne Nichols allegedly required one of the kids to “complete writings, specifically Bible verses, multiple times daily in exchange for meals.”
Cops executed a search warrant on the Nichols home in December 2023. Investigators reportedly found evidence corroborating what the victims alleged, including numerous surveillance cameras and rooms with limited bedding and furniture. A search of the suspects’ cellphones also showed text messages among themselves that spoke of their harsh disciplinary practices, cops said.
After receiving her Miranda warnings, Dianne Nichols denied allegations of mistreatment and said their disciplinary practices were necessary because of the kids’ behavior issues, according to police. She allegedly described the children as “troubled, attributing their behaviors to past trauma.”
The suspects remain in the Jackson County Jail, each on $75,000 bond. They are scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 2.
