Husband and wife dumped dirty cat litter in orphaned children's beds, harassed them about their dead parents and made them run barefoot on gravel driveway: Police

A West Virginia couple tormented three orphans who were living with them with disturbing punishments, including dumping “soiled cat litter in their beds” and “dog feces on personal items,” according to law enforcement officials.

Erica Lynn Sayre, 45, and her husband, Clifford Gale Sayre, 46, both of Evans, are facing multiple charges following an investigation into allegations of prolonged physical and emotional abuse, according to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department.

The couple allegedly tortured three orphaned children, ranging in age from 12 to 17, who had been living with them for several years after their parents died.

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“During a forensic interview, the children summarized the situation by stating, ‘Because mom hits us and Gale lets her’ and went on to describe being tormented and harassed about their deceased biological parents,” according to a JCSD press release.

“The investigation uncovered allegations of many years of disturbing mistreatment, including children being repeatedly struck, strangled, deprived of food and water, denied bathroom privileges, dumping soiled cat litter in their beds and dog feces on personal items, and forced to run barefoot on a gravel driveway as means of punishment for any conflicts with Erica,” the release says.

The investigation uncovered allegations that the children were struck with household objects, causing bleeding injuries. The Sayres also allegedly placed “soiled” socks in the children’s mouths and “forcibly cut” their hair, the sheriff’s department says.

“One child described being struck in the head with an electronic device, causing a bleeding injury for which she was denied medical treatment,” the JCSD release alleges. “One of the children was threatened to be killed if she contacted Child Protective Services.”

During interviews, one of the children “became visibly emotional” and declared, “I can’t go back to that home,” according to the sheriff’s department. Another child described “years of alleged abuse” and expressed that she “just wants a normal life,” per the JCSD release.

Erica Sayre faces three counts of child abuse resulting in bodily injury and three counts of child neglect creating a risk of injury. Clifford Sayre faces three counts of child neglect resulting in bodily injury and three counts of child neglect creating a risk of injury.

Authorities allege that Clifford Sayre witnessed repeated instances of abuse and failed to intervene. Investigators allegedly documented scars consistent with portions of the children’s accounts. Authorities said the children’s statements corroborated one another and the physical evidence that was gathered during the investigation.

Child Protective Services was contacted, and all three children were removed from the home, the sheriff’s department reports.

“The outlined findings of the investigation are deeply troubling and underscore the importance of reporting suspected child abuse, as the children were all living in a real life ‘House of Horrors’ with the adults in their lives that should have otherwise been protecting them from such occurrences and conditions, not creating them,” Jackson County Sheriff R.H. Mellinger said in a statement Monday.

The post Husband and wife dumped dirty cat litter in orphaned children’s beds, harassed them about their dead parents and made them run barefoot on gravel driveway: Police first appeared on Law & Crime.