4-Year-Old Missouri Kid Starved And Locked In A Wooden Crate By Four Adults

Four people have been charged in Stone County on the grounds of felonies for endangering the welfare of a child. As per the report released by the Stone County Sheriff’s Office, Dessa Barton, 26, Dalton McLendon, 26, Katherine Kost, 53, and Richard Hilliker, 52 subjected a 4-year-old to grisly treatment, aside from locking him up inside a crate for long periods of time.

While the boy’s relationship with the four adults is yet to be known, it is certain that the boy was inflicted with physical abuse and appeared to be extremely malnourished during his stay with them. But, Barton, one of the prime suspects, argued that the injuries were a result of self-harm. The explanation however was deemed incorrect, as medical experts who examined the child asserted that, based on the location of some injuries, it wasn’t possible for the child to do it himself.

Authorities were alerted about the abuse, post which an investigation ensued on Nov. 6. Upon further probe, the boy was discovered in an unresponsive state because of which he was rushed to Springfield hospital and then airlifted to Kansas City for critical care.

Skeletons tumbled out of the closet when the detectives decided to return to the residence on Nov. 26, only to find a crate made of pallets -- the space where the child was reportedly forcefully confined.

The four residents are currently lodged at the Stone County Jail as of Friday afternoon.