Very sad...

[MYSONSDAD]

http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?S=2850004

January 24, 2005

By YVONNE NAVA
6 News Anchor/Reporter

KNOX COUNTY (WATE) -- A mother and her boyfriend are charged with child abuse involving four children, ages five and under, at a home in west Knox County.

Sheriff Tim Hutchison said it's the worst abuse case he's ever seen.

The pictures are too graphic for 6 News to broadcast. Hutchison showed the several media snapshots of the children Monday to show how severe the abuse was. Even in a room full of seasoned journalists, almost everyone gasped. Others had to turn away.

Investigators have talked to all the children. The family had just moved from Anderson to Knox County.

Hutchison says the five-year-old boy said he felt guilty for not being able to protect the others. He said if he tried to help them, Corey Reep, 20, their mother's boyfriend would hurt them worse.

The other children are a four year-old boy, a three year-old girl, and a one year-old boy.

Reep and the children's mother, Stephanie Allen, 23 are each charged with four counts of aggravated abuse.

According to the sheriff's office, deputies said Allen tried to hide Reep when they arrived and she also tried to hide the three-year old girl. Deputies found Reep hiding in the bathroom.

Carrie Drummer lives a few houses down from the family who had just moved into a rented house at 8909 Ripon Circle. Drummer says her neighborhood was swarming with officers Sunday night when the arrests were made.

"We couldn't even get to our house. We had to squeeze in. There was a lot of people out here," Drummer said.

Reports show the children all had bruises and knots on their bodies. "The (three-year-old) girl was severely burned on the lower part of her body and she had bruises and knots all over her head," the sheriff said.

Hutchison says their focus is making sure the children are safe. "Last night, the burns were so bad that Children's was considering sending the three-year-old to the burn center in Cincinnati." However, the weekend's winter storm made flying there impossible.

Children's Hospital staff decided Monday to keep the girl there for treatment.

Hutchison says the children's physical injuries are bad but the psychological damage is far worse. "All of the children were hurt repeatedly. No one was there protecting them. The mother should've been there protecting the children. That's her duty. That's her job."

On January 3rd, the mother filed an order of protection against her boyfriend but the sheriff says that's not enough to keep her from being charged.

Ambulances rushed all four kids to Children's Hospital Sunday. The youngest two are still there being treated. All of them are now in state custody.

Reep and Allen are both being held in jail. His bond is set at $1,250,000. Her bond is set at $700,700. She's also charged for bad check writing.

 

 

"Children learn what they live"

[Brent]

A bullet in their heads would be too good for them in my opinion. People like this are sub-human pieces of garbage. It's hard to think of something bad enough to do to them, really. Everything I can think of would kill them way too quickly. But I'd like to give it a try, if only the State would allow me.