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Three Breckenridge residents are currently in jail in Oklahoma on child abuse charges. The investigation is continuing with the assistance of the Breckenridge Police Department.
Three Breckenridge residents are currently in jail in Oklahoma on child abuse charges. The investigation is continuing with the assistance of the Breckenridge Police Department.
BPD has been assisting with the investigation since Wednesday, July 31.
“Because (suspects are from) here there’s always the belief that (Breckenridge) is the origin of where (the abuse) would occur,” Breckenridge Police Chief Blake Johnson said. “What they’re looking for from us is to provide some type of historical information or potential violations that occurred in our jurisdiction.”
Johnny Lee James, 40, Kayla Sharee Clark, 42, and Linda Kay Reynolds, 61, are all currently being held in the Washington County Jail in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.
James, the victim’s father, is charged with five counts of child neglect and one count of child abuse. Charges against Clark, James’ girlfriend, include five counts of child neglect and one count of enabling child abuse, and Reynolds, the couple’s roommate, is charged with two counts of child neglect.
According to probable cause affidavits, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) responded to a call for service near Vera, Oklahoma at approximately 9:35 a.m. Sunday, July 28.
Clark’s sister, who the three defendants were visiting, advised dispatch that a 15-year-old female was being abused and kept outside tied up between a red shed and chicken coop on her property. The victim had reportedly been outside since arriving at the reporting party’s house Thursday, July 25, and had “a hole in her leg and lesions on her arms.”
WCSO deputies located the victim sitting on a rectangle piece of carpet with a “ratchet-style, tie-down strap” around her.
Deputies made contact with James who said the victim was restrained in this fashion because “she cannot be trusted and likes to lie.” James told deputies the victim is left outside because she allegedly goes to the bathroom on herself.
“Johnny stated he only does this until he gets back from somewhere, or when they are not outside to keep an eye on her,” the affidavit states. “Johnny stated they let (the victim) out for about 20-30 minutes unrestrained to use the restroom and then she comes back in. Johnny said they send her outside when she needs to use the restroom.”
Clark confirmed that James and the victim had been living with her in Breckenridge for approximately three years. She told deputies that she was unaware of the victim being tied with a ratchet strap, and did not see the victim outside because she was too “frazzled” that morning.
Reynolds confirmed that the victim is one of four children living with Clark and James in Breckenridge. After originally denying any knowledge of the ongoing abuse, Reynolds later confirmed to deputies that she was aware the victim was forced to stay outside and was untruthful at first out of fear of James. She was later arrested Friday, Aug. 2.
According to a release from WCSO, the victim was taken to a hospital where she was treated for injuries. The Department of Human Services (Child Welfare Division) took the child, and several other children in the home, were also taken into custody.
Johnson confirmed there is a local ongoing investigation and that search warrants have been served in Taylor and Stephens counties.
“We have had calls for service for the house in the past,” Johnson said. “We (had not) had previous investigations, but we had calls to the house.”
The police chief confirmed there were no arrests made in relation to those service calls.
According to the BPD daily log, officers were at Clark’s residence three times since her and James were arrested. Follow-up calls were made Thursday, Aug. 1 and Friday, Aug. 2 and a search of the residence was completed Friday, Aug. 2.
BPD declined to give further information on the calls citing the ongoing investigation.
Clark and James remain held on $500,000 bonds. Reynolds is held on a $50,000 bond. All three are scheduled to appear Friday, Aug. 16 in court in Oklahoma.
