A Missouri couple is facing a dozen felony charges each following allegations of horrific and prolonged abuse against two teenagers, which included locking them in a chicken pen and forcing them to brawl during organised "fight nights".
Allegations of Sustained Cruelty
Chantel Hayford and her boyfriend, Jerry Menees, were arrested on Tuesday after a police search of Hayford's home in Potosi, Missouri. The Washington County Sheriff's Office detailed a litany of alleged abuses spanning from January 2023 through December 2025.
Authorities state the couple refused to properly feed or house the 13 and 14-year-old victims. Instead, they were allegedly locked inside a chicken coop. The abuse reportedly escalated with the adults using BB guns to shoot at the teenagers and throwing rocks at them.
In a particularly disturbing claim, investigators say the pair forced the children to fight each other during a birthday event dubbed a "fight night". Court documents also allege the teens were compelled to try methamphetamine.
Threats and Further Charges
The sheriff's office outlined additional serious accusations. Jerry Menees is alleged to have pointed a firearm at the teenagers and threatened to kill them. Chantel Hayford faces a separate charge of inappropriate sexual contact with one of the juveniles.
Sheriff Scott Reed told local news outlet KSDK he was initially shocked by the details reported by the Division of Family Services in December. He confirmed that Hayford confessed to investigators upon their visit on Tuesday.
A Rural Isolation and a Public Plea
Sheriff Reed explained that the remote, rural location of the home, with no close neighbours, contributed to the abuse remaining hidden. "We never got a call from any school... We never got a hotline call... We never got anything," he stated.
He used this case to issue a stark reminder to the public. "If a kid comes and tells you a crazy story, that don't mean it isn't true," Reed urged, emphasising that all reports of potential abuse from children must be taken with utmost seriousness.
Both adults are being held without bond at Washington County Jail. They are scheduled for a court hearing. Hayford's 12 charges include four counts of child abuse and one of sexual abuse. Menees faces charges including armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon.
