The parents of a 16-year-old Iowa girl are facing murder charges months after the teen was found dead of malnutrition in their Perry home in May, PEOPLE confirms.
Marc and Misty Ray have both been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Sabrina Ray, who died after allegedly experiencing physical abuse at the hands of the couple and other family members, according to court documents obtained by PEOPLE.
Marc has pleaded not guilty to the charge, one of his attorneys, Roger Owens, tells PEOPLE. Both Marc and Misty are being held at Dallas County Jail on $1 million bail.
It is unclear whether Misty has entered a plea. Her attorneys did not immediately respond to a request for comment from PEOPLE.
The medical examiner determined that she died of severe malnutrition.
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Weeks after Sabrina’s body was found, Perry police announced the arrests of Sabrina’s adoptive brother, 21-year-old Justin, and her adoptive grandmother, Carla Bousman.
According to a previously obtained affidavit from Perry Police, during the final month of her life, Sabrina “suffered unreasonable force, torture and cruelty for an extended period of time, resulting in bodily injury … that was intended to cause serious injury.”
Court records allege that about a month before she died, Justin “drop-kicked” Sabrina and threw her down a basement staircase. She was unable to walk, talk, eat or drink.
© Dallas County Jail Misty (left) and Marc Ray
Sabrina was one of three girls adopted by and living with the Rays, who owned an in-home daycare, records indicate. The affidavit stated that the girls were regularly denied food and water and often suffered physical abuse from the family.
In court records, Bousman is accused of assisting in kidnapping and torturing Sabrina and the other two girls. She also allegedly helped in trying to cover up Sabrina’s death and injuries the other girls had sustained.
Bousman and Justin are both being held at Dallas County Jail, Bousman on $500,000 bail and Justin on $100,000. It is unclear whether they have entered a plea to the charges.
This article was originally published on PEOPLE.com
zim3019 on October 7th, 2017 at 14:09 UTC »
I live in Iowa. The sad part is that I had to check which child it was. Within a short period of time we had 2 teenage girls who were adopted and starved to death.
From what I can tell Sabrina was sexually and physically abused. Natalie Finn was not. She was boarded up in her home and severely negelected.
Both are equally sad and terrible.
rust2bridges on October 7th, 2017 at 13:49 UTC »
The whole family was in on it too. Her body was found as they we're on vacation in Florida.
That's absolutely disgusting and I hope they get the full brunt of the justice system.
upsyndorme on October 7th, 2017 at 12:45 UTC »
It's their JOB to take care of children!?!?