An Oklahoma grandmother allegedly drugged her grandkids and locked them in a dog cage for hours when she wanted to go out alone, according to a year-long investigation of abuse accusations.
Davena Marx, 53, is accused of feeding the two children — whom she had full custody of — anti-psychotic drugs, whipping them with a belt, grinding her heels into their feet, and forcing them to exercise until they collapsed, according to local reports.
She was charged with various counts of child abuse and child neglect against her 8-year-old granddaughter and 6-year-old grandson, Local 12 reported.
“Memaw sells drugs and uses them,” one of the children told investigators after they were rescued from the alleged house of horrors in the city of Warr Acres. “She makes us stay in the dog cage when she wants to go outside by herself.”
The young boy told investigators that Marx, whom he called “Memaw” gave him Seroquel, a sleep-inducing drug used to treat schizophrenia that’s only supposed to be taken by kids older than 13.
Police said that traces of the drug were found in both Marx’s grandson and granddaughter.
A social worker from the Department of Human Services conducted a welfare check last year after receiving a tip about abuse, according to local reports.
The granddaughter texted a social worker, “she is mean to us, she is very abusive,” according to OKCFOX.
The kids were immediately removed from the home.
Officers transported the children to a Safe Clinic, where they were examined and interviewed about the alleged abuse, according to Law & Crime.
Doctors said the granddaughter had bruising on her back that was consistent with being beaten with a belt, according to the outlet.
The grandchildren said that Marx physically and emotionally abused them, including forcing them to do calisthenic exercises until their limbs gave out, the publication reported.
A neighbor approached authorities after the children were rescued and told them that he had seen the siblings digging around in garbage dumpsters searching for food, according to reports.
Warr Acres Assistant Police Chief Jason Allen said Marx’s arrest came in May, after extensive interviews with her grandchildren.
“The day we went out with them, there was enough to immediately remove the children, which is often not the case,” Allen said.
Officials obtained a search warrant for the apartment and found marijuana, drug paraphernalia, a bottle of Alprazolam and a bottle of Seroquel, which were both prescribed to Marx, according to reports.
“They did find a large dog cage in the residence,” Allen said. “They also did locate Seroquel, which was also one of the allegations that Seroquel had been given to the children as well.”
Marx took custody of her grandchildren in 2022 after their father was gunned down in a road rage incident, according to a GoFundMe post.
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