Chicken pen abuse allegations have stunned Missouri after investigators accused a rural couple of subjecting two teenagers to extreme confinement and violence. Authorities say the case involved locking the children inside a chicken pen and shooting at them with BB guns as part of a broader pattern of abuse. Both suspects are now jailed without bond as the investigation continues.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office announced the Jan. 13 arrests of Chantel Spring Hayford, 38, and Jerry Allen Menees of Potosi, Missouri. Menees faces multiple felony charges, including first-degree kidnapping, armed criminal action, first-degree domestic assault, and child abuse or neglect. Hayford is charged with kidnapping, first-degree sexual abuse, child endangerment, domestic assault, and additional abuse-related counts.
According to court documents obtained by Fox News Digital, deputies launched the investigation after the Division of Family Services reported allegations involving two children, ages 13 and 14. Investigators said the teens told authorities they were locked inside a chicken pen that was fastened shut and then shot at with BB guns. Records also allege the children were threatened with real firearms and warned not to report the abuse.
The probable cause statement describes an alleged ongoing pattern of physical violence and intimidation. Investigators cited claims of organized “fight nights,” during which the teens were allegedly forced to fight each other. Authorities also outlined trafficking-related allegations after another adult reported the children arrived at her home seeking food.
According to investigators, the guardian later stated the children’s mother agreed to transfer custody in exchange for a cellphone and phone plan, an arrangement documented through a power of attorney. Court records say the children were severely underweight, not enrolled in school, and unable to read or write when medical professionals evaluated them.
The sheriff’s office said the chicken pen abuse investigation remains active, with assistance from the Child Advocacy Center and the Washington County Division of Family Services.
