An 8-year-old boy, H., was imprisoned by his parents, Kelley and Daniel Davis. The boy and his five sisters (ranging in age from 10 to infancy) were homeschooled.
Beginning at least in March 2020, H. was kept locked in a dark room with boards over the window and door overnight or, according to his parents, “when he misbehaved.” The only things in the room were a mattress and blanket, so H. was often forced to urinate and defecate on the floor. Daniel Davis claimed that H. had “behavioral and possibly mental health issues.” H. was singled out for abuse; his sisters were not similarly abused. Authorities visited the home in February and July 2020 but did not notice anything suspicious. A concerned neighbor contacted the authorities in August 2020 to report a child rummaging through the refrigerator in the Davises’ garage.
The abuse came to light when H. and one of his sisters orchestrated his escape. H.’s sister passed him matches under the door and H. set his mattress on fire. When authorities arrived to put out the fire, they recognized H.’s imprisonment. The Davises were charged with aggravated child abuse and their children were removed from their custody.
Date: October 5, 2020
Location: Sugar Hill, Florida
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