Camille Lewis and John Miles charged with 'serious abuse' of daughter who was 'skin and bones', missing son 'possibly deceased'
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TULSA, OKLAHOMA: A couple has been arrested in connection with a child abuse incident that left their daughter "skin and bone" and their son missing and presumed dead, according to authorities. Camille Lewis and John Miles, both of Tulsa, Oklahoma, have been charged with child abuse and neglect following a report the children's grandmother had phoned the police out of fear for their safety.
Authorities say the grandmother called the police on January 17 to denounce Miles and Lewis, the children's stepfather and mother. She said that the son had been missing for "several years and possibly deceased," and accused them of "serious continued abuse" of the daughter, reports The Sun. According to reports, the authorities are investigating the missing boy's case as a homicide.
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What happened to the children?
When the 13-year-old daughter of Lewis and Miles was sent to live with her grandmother in September, the latter told police that she was "skin and bones" due to malnutrition. Authorities reportedly said that Camille Lewis told her mother the 11-year-old boy was dead during the drop-off. The young child was questioned by Child Crisis Detectives, who claim that she confirmed the accusations. According to her, the alleged abuse finally ended after she moved home with her grandmother in November 2020.
'Made them sleep in an igloo-style doghouse'
According to the police report, the girl claimed that she and her brother were frequently beaten with belts and wires while being imprisoned in closets for days at a time and forced to pee and defecate into cups. Additionally, the child allegedly informed authorities that they were occasionally made to exercise outside in extreme cold and sleep in "an igloo-style doghouse."
'Food in exchange for sexual favors'
The 13-year-old claimed that the alleged abuse continued when her stepfather would give her food "in exchange for sexual favors," according to authorities. When detectives enquired as to what had happened to her brother, the girl said that she had overheard her mother crying and yelling for him to wake up in March 2021, reports KKTV. The boy had a seizure and died, her mother said, but she was afraid to take him to the hospital for fear of getting into trouble, the police report states. According to the girl's statement to police, John Miles and his cousin then allegedly buried the body in a park, but later dug it up, carried it home, burned it in a barrel, and threw the ashes into a drainage pipe.
'This is considered to be homicide investigation'
According to police, Lewis confessed to starving them and beating them, but she insisted her son was still alive. She asserts that he fled and vanished without a trace. "Detectives are actively investigating this case, and at this time this is considered to be a homicide investigation," Tulsa police stated. "The remains of the brother have not been found. Charges could be amended depending on the outcome of the investigation."
What charges are the couple facing?
Miles was arrested the day after Lewis was taken into custody. Both had their bonds set at $600,000 each after being accused of child abuse by injury and child neglect. The stepfather was also charged with child sexual abuse. He is a convicted felon, according to Tulsa County Prison records.
