O’FALLON, Mo. (TCN) — A mother and father are behind bars after being arrested in connection with the alleged beating, confinement, and starvation of their three children.
The New York Post reports Amberly Britton and Mark Myers were each charged with second-degree drug trafficking and three counts of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child.
An investigation into Britton and Myers began several months ago when one of their children showed up at school with a significant cut, KMOV reports. The child’s parents did not respond when contacted, so police and social services went to the home.
KTVI reports that when the Missouri Children’s Division visited the family, both parents refused to take drug tests and were evasive, impaired, and unresponsive.
St. Charles County Police Det. Sgt. Brian Adelsberger said the case was one of the worst he had ever investigated, KTVI reports.
According to court documents obtained by the outlet, the trailer home was dangerous and unsanitary, did not have heating, and smelled of urine. A large quantity of methamphetamine was also found at the home, and there were no toys or child-related items. Police said it was uninhabitable.
The children were allegedly told not to talk about what happened in the home, according to a probable cause statement. The 13-year-old child told a forensic interviewer she was beaten after she vomited from hunger.
The children described being hit with belts and paddles, being dragged by their necks, and breaking into a locked cupboard to get food.
Their bedroom doors allegedly required fingerprint access and the windows were sealed shut to prevent escape, according to the probable cause statement. The children were responsible for their own care while their parents allegedly slept for long periods of time.
Court records obtained by KMOV show that Britton has prior convictions on five counts of endangering the welfare of a child. Myers’ previous convictions include statutory rape and failure to register as a sex offender.
According to KTVI, both parents are being held on cash-only $250,000 bonds.
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