A Texas couple was sentenced to decades in prison on Wednesday after pleading guilty to using ratchet straps to confine a teenage girl and leaving her outside for days in the summer heat.
Johnny James, aged 41, and Kayla Clark, aged 42, confessed to child abuse and numerous counts of child neglect, which led to their respective prison sentences of 35 and 30 years. As per Oklahoma law, both individuals are required to serve at least 85% of their sentences before becoming eligible for parole.
Officials received notification of the abuse in Vera last July during the visit, following a local’s call for assistance. Deputies discovered the 15-year-old girl sleeping on a piece of carpet outside a chicken coop, bound from her feet to her shoulders with various ratchet straps, according to court documents. The constraints significantly restricted her movement and resulted in open lesions on her flesh, according to Washington County District Attorney William Drake.
Investigators also discovered the girl had untreated injuries, including a serious open sore on her leg that required emergency medical attention, according to records. According to court filings, she appeared hungry and had scars on her arms, wrists, and legs that indicated friction or rope burns.
According to the papers, the girl’s father, James, informed authorities that he restrained her as punishment for unacceptable behavior. Clark, who had lived with James and the teenager for at least three years, first denied knowing about the abuse, despite the girl being bound in plain sight, according to court filings.
Drake said the sentence accurately reflected the gravity of the abuse. He further stated that the guilty pleas saved the girl from having to testify at trial, allowing her to avoid repeating the trauma. Drake said at the sentencing that the teenager provided a compelling victim impact statement, demonstrating “maturity and composure beyond her years.”
Several other children from the home were also taken into DHS custody.
Drake complimented the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Human Services for their collaboration on the case.