SEDALIA, MO — A Missouri man abused and tortured his girlfriend’s three children — including forcing them to eat parts of shoes — according to prosecutors who charged him with three felony counts of child abuse or neglect. Authorities in Pettis County began investigating James L. Hays Jr., 48, last month after a family member discovered large bruises on the kids, who are all under the age of 12, and took them to the hospital.
When authorities interviewed the children, they related stories of savage abuse — from being locked in a closet or bathroom overnight to being beaten and kicked to being held under water until they nearly drowned.
In court records, prosecutors allege Hays “made them eat parts of shoes” and whoever ate “most of the shoe” would get a “real breakfast.” On another occasion, one of the children was forced to eat hot chili peppers while he poured water over his head.
One of the children said their mother had tried to sneak food to them when Hays withheld it and free them from the locked bathroom, but according to court records, Hays wouldn’t allow it.
The children’s mother told television station WDAF that she had tried to escape 30 or 40 times over the years she was involved with Hays, and was finally able to knock him over and run with her children to a neighbor’s home, and finally to the home of her sister. The sister took the children to a Sedalia hospital on July 23. Officials at the hospital notified Pettis County investigators, according to the report.
Police began investigating July 23 after they were called to a Sedalia hospital.
Prosecutors said Hays used two metal bars — one of them described by the children as red with “neo-Nazi SS bolts” and the other described as black with “Hays” written on it — to lock them in the bathroom, according to a report by the Kansas City Star. When police searched Hays’ Sedalia home earlier this week, they found those items, along with other items the children had said were used to beat or strike them.
According to court records, they included “a belt with metal pointy objects on it, a belt with multiple eyelets (rings) throughout it and a long rifle (Airsoft) gun with green plastic (BBs).”
Hays is being held on $1 million bond.
Photo via Pettis County Jail
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