A disturbing case has emerged involving a couple accused of subjecting two teenagers to horrifying abuse, including shooting them with BB guns and confining them in a chicken pen. Chantel Hayford, the mother of the teens, and her boyfriend Jerry Menees have been arrested following allegations of severe neglect and mistreatment endured by the 13 and 14-year-old victims. Authorities revealed that the pair orchestrated “fight nights” where the teenagers were coerced into physically harming each other in a continuous cycle of abuse. Shockingly, at one point, the children’s mother reportedly offered to trade them for a mere $77 per child.
The distressing situation came to light in December when the Division of Family Services was alerted after someone described as a “guardian” reported that the boys had visited seeking food during the summer. Subsequent investigations at the couple’s residence in Missouri led to the teens sharing harrowing details of their ordeal with law enforcement. The children allegedly endured extreme conditions, with one resorting to consuming bugs and leaves while the other was forced to ingest caulking, a construction material. The abuse reportedly culminated in a horrific incident during a child’s birthday celebration.
Further revelations surfaced from the same concerned guardian, indicating the extent of suffering inflicted by the children’s mother. The guardian recounted a chilling account of how the mother proposed exchanging the kids for a phone valued at $231, effectively valuing each child at $77. Shockingly, the teens had never been enrolled in school and lacked basic literacy skills for their age. Medical assessments revealed severe malnourishment, and it was alleged that Hayford and Menees exposed the teenagers to drugs and alcohol, in addition to brandishing real firearms as threats to prevent disclosure of the abuse.
Reports from law enforcement described the couple’s residence as filthy, with feces smeared across floors and beds. Menees faces multiple charges, including kidnapping, endangering the welfare of a child, criminal actions with a weapon, and child abuse or neglect. Hayford, on the other hand, has been charged with kidnapping, domestic assault, sexual abuse, endangering child welfare, and multiple counts of child abuse or neglect. Both individuals are currently in custody without bond as the investigation progresses.