A Missouri mother and her boyfriend are facing serious allegations of child abuse, accused of confining the woman’s children in a “chicken pen” and shooting them with “BB rifles,” among other disturbing charges, police have reported. The couple allegedly forced one child to consume “caulking” and subjected another to such distress that he fell into a “deep depression,” resorting to eating bugs, leaves, and stealing food to survive, according to law enforcement.

Jerry Menees and Chantel Hayford were taken into custody this week after authorities executed a search warrant at their residence in Potosi. The investigation, which began in December, revealed the alleged abuse when Hayford’s children spoke to law enforcement about their experiences.

The case came to light when an adult “guardian” reported that Hayford’s three children arrived at her home over the summer, “begging for food.” This information is documented in probable cause affidavits filed in Washington County.

According to the affidavits, the guardian stated that the children had to walk nearly four miles to reach her home. She also alleged that Hayford offered to trade her children in exchange for a phone and a phone plan, valued at approximately $231, or $77 per child.

Hayford reportedly signed over “power of attorney” to the guardian, allowing her children—aged 13, 14, and 17—to live with the guardian as part of the arrangement. Despite this, the children continued to stay with Hayford and her boyfriend. The affidavits note that this arrangement began in July 2025, with the phone plan being covered from July to December 2025.

“The guardian described when receiving the children in exchange for the phone plan, that the children were severely underweight, according to the doctor’s office she took the children to,” the affidavits say. “The guide also said that the children were not ever enrolled in school or educated and therefore could not read or write.”

The guardian said the children told her about several alarming incidents that occurred while they were living with Hayford, according to the affidavits. One allegedly included having the 17-year-old “cut her hands and spread blood on the trees” near their home.

“The guardian confronted the mother who stated that she did this because of something going on with the animals,” the affidavits say.

Another incident involved Hayford forcing the teen to “eat caulking,” according to police. It’s unclear why she made her child do this. It allegedly happened a day after Hayford grabbed the teen “on the breast area” while telling her, “I made it so I can grab it,” per the affidavits.

Police say Hayford and Menees would lock the children up in a “chicken pen” and shoot them with an “air rifle” loaded with BBs. Menees allegedly “screwed the pen shut” while doing this, according to the affidavits.

On one occasion, cops say Menees allegedly pointed a “real” gun at the 14-year-old and told him he was going to “blow his brains out.” He also “almost suffocated him” during another incident while putting him “in a headlock,” the affidavits allege.

“[The 14-year-old] also stated that he (Jerry) would punch or slap him on a regular basis,” according to the affidavits. His mother, meanwhile, would allegedly call him “worthless and would cuss him.”

The 13-year-old also described how Menees would also allegedly threaten him with a gun.

“I hope he doesn’t shoot me because I have a long life to go,” the boy recalled thinking to himself while speaking to police about the abuse, per the affidavits.

The 14-year-old allegedly recounted going through a “great depression” during which he “ate bugs, leaves, and would steal food” as a result of the abuse. The boy said Menees and his mom would force him to do drugs, including methamphetamine, and would also have him drink alcohol — Jack Daniels, allegedly — and eat marijuana edibles.

The home that Menees and Hayford lived in was also “very dirty,” according to the affidavits, with there being feces on the floor and beds. The 14-year-old said that when he first went to see the adult guardian “his face was covered in feces and that it was cat and dog feces,” per the affidavits.

For entertainment, Menees and Hayford allegedly organized “fight nights” where the children were “forced to fight one another,” according to police.

Hayford has been charged with two counts of kidnapping, one count of sexual abuse, three counts of endangering the welfare of a child, four counts of abuse or neglect of a child, and two counts of domestic assault. Menees is charged with two counts of kidnapping, two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, two counts of armed criminal action, two counts of abuse or neglect of a child, one count of unlawful use of a weapon, and three counts of domestic assault.

The couple is being held without bond. They’re scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 20.