Photo: Washington County Jail
A man and his girlfriend have been arrested in Oklahoma and face child abuse charges after the man allegedly tied his 15-year-old daughter to a tree in their yard, according to police. Forty-year-old Johnny James and his girlfriend, 42-year-old Kayla Clark, were arrested on charges of child abuse and neglect, as detailed in jail records.
A press release obtained by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office revealed that authorities were alerted to a teenager who had allegedly been tied to a tree with ratchet straps at a property in Vera for three days. The family, based in Texas, was reportedly visiting relatives in the area at the time.
When police arrived at the scene, they reportedly found the girl sitting on a rectangular piece of carpet that had been provided for her to sleep on. The investigation found that the teenager had allegedly been restrained to the tree with a ratchet strap for “over 24 hours” by her father, James.
According to the press release, James told police he had tied his daughter to the tree as a form of punishment. He allegedly justified his actions by saying, “The child has problems urinating and defecating while indoors and if she was outdoors there would not be any mess.”
Clark reportedly admitted to authorities that she was aware of the girl being tied to the tree but did not report James’ actions because she was “frazzled.” The press release also indicated that James punished his daughter because she wanted to live with her mother, told Law and Crime.
Both James and Clark are currently being held in the Washington County jail on a $500,000 bond. They are scheduled for a court appearance on August 9. It is unclear if either suspect has entered a plea or retained legal representation.
The teenage girl was taken to a local hospital for treatment of her injuries, and the Department of Human Services (DHS) will assume custody of her and any other children found in the home. This case underscores the severity of child abuse and the need for immediate intervention and support for affected children.
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
