Published: May 06, 2008 10:30 am            

KPD: Children tortured in Kokomo home

Four arrested, two children hospitalized with wounds

Two 4-year-old children were held in closets for up to three weeks at a time, bound with zip ties, and suffered broken bones in an abuse case that one police officer said would have proven fatal if it had gone on much longer.

A Kokomo police officer responding to a complaint Monday of a mother being denied access to her daughter discovered the scene.

Officer Lyle Myers located the mother, Melissa Chandler, 30, and took her to 1100 S. Home Ave., where she and her child had been staying.

Myers found Chandler’s daughter, Mary Deakyne, 4, and Chandler’s nephew, Jordan Leonard, 4, suffering from multiple injuries, including broken bones and open wounds, Lt. Don Whitehead reported Tuesday.

“I’ve never seen a case worse than this in 30 years in which the kids survived,” Whitehead said. “There’s no doubt in my mind that these kids would not have survived this much longer.”

Melissa Chandler had been living in the home with her sister, Jordan’s mother Jennifer Leonard, 36, and two friends, Donald Hawk, 33, and Madeline Hawk, 42.

After questioning the four adults, detectives learned the children had been abused daily. Whitehead said the two children had been beaten and at times bound with “zip ties” and towels ripped into strips to objects in the home, including door knobs, a fan, and a laundry basket.

Whitehead said detectives found one alleged weapon — four wooden spoons glued together — which police believe were used to beat the children.

The adults also allegedly forced the pair to stand in corners over night and kept in a closet. The girl had been kept in a locked closet, bound for three weeks at a time, Whitehead said.

The children were also deprived of food and water for extended periods of time.

“I’m convinced had we not been able to get involved — especially the little girl — would not have survived this,” Whitehead said of the punishment the children endured.

“They were in and out of restraints and tortured.”

All four adults were charged with Class B felony neglect of a dependent. Leonard and Chandler face an additional B felony charge of aiding, inducing or causing battery and Madeline Hawk also faces a B felony battery charge.

All four were held Tuesday without bail pending initial court appearances. Courts were closed Tuesday for Indiana’s primary.

With the adults in jail possibly facing prison time, the children were admitted to St. Joseph Hospital for treatment.

Police said preliminary medical reports reveal that Mary is suffering from multiple fractures to her hands and arms in different stages of healing. Jordan’s condition is unknown at this time.

Asked how the children looked when police first found them, Whitehead replied, “Horrible. They looked like they had just been beaten.”

A child welfare hearing for the children was scheduled Wednesday in Howard Circuit Court, Whitehead said.

This case remains under investigation. Investigators urge anyone having information regarding this incident to call the Kokomo Police Hotline at (765) 456-7017, or you may qualify for a cash reward by calling Central Indiana Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS with your anonymous tip.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

        

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