The charges could lead to total fines of up to $33,750, up to 210 days in jail and up to 10 years in prison. Her driver’s license could also be suspended for six months to five years.
Shepherd was charged alongside her boyfriend Kyle Ray Knox, 38, who was initially charged with four counts of endangering children, but was later reindicted on 98 more counts of endangering children, including specifications for cruel abuse/torture, sexual matter and serious physical harm; seven counts of aggravated arson – harm to persons; and one count of strangulation, according to the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office.
She is scheduled to be sentenced May 25 on the child endangering charges, and May 29 on the drug charges, the plea agreements said.
On Nov. 18, 2024, a 911 caller said that she found the 8-year-old boy and his 9-year-old sister wandering on Arlene Avenue.
“I was looking out my door and I saw them walking and something just didn’t sit right with me,” the 911 caller said, adding that the boy’s mouth was “beat up,” according to Montgomery County Regional Dispatch Center records.
“Ma’am his mouth, someone has tortured this child,” she told the dispatcher.
The boy had bruises, cuts, bloodshot eyes and a severe lip injury that prevented him from closing his mouth, according to juvenile court records.
They were both taken to Dayton Children’s Hospital. The girl had a bruise on her side and signs of malnutrition and was discharged the next day.
The boy was also malnourished but had injuries all over his body, including “burns, cuts, bruises and fractures in different stages of healing,” records said. “Some were fresh. He also had injuries to his genitalia and buttocks.”
Court documents said the boy was discharged after three days but will need multiple follow-up appointments and possible reconstructive surgery due to the injuries to his face.
The children were released to a non-relative who had been in their life but hasn’t seen them since January.
“The children claimed they were regularly tortured by Mr. Knox,” court records said. “They reported that he regularly hits and smacks (the boy), sometimes even cutting him with objects.” They also said that they were not allowed to go to school or take showers.
When Dayton police served a search warrant at the house, they found it messy with cat feces throughout the residence, juvenile court records said. Marijuana was also found throughout, including places the children could access, records said.
“The children’s bedroom appeared to be worse, with a strong odor, trash and refuse in the room,” according to a memo. “Blood was visible on the wall, mattress, air mattress, curtains, towel and items of clothing.”
Records said there were four bottles of urine in and around trash bags and burn ointment on the bed. A camera was reportedly propped up on Pringles cans facing into the room and other cameras were placed outside the house.
The girl said that Knox was the only one allowed in their room, and he would come in to bring food or “be mean” to the boy, court records said.
Among abuses that the girl described were Knox not allowing the children to use the bathroom without his permission and burning them both with a lighter, as well as a list of abuses against her brother including keeping the boy from wearing pants or underwear in the house, punching him in the face, beating him with a belt and using an orange box cutter on him, court documents said.
She said they finally ran away because the boy’s face didn’t look good, records said.
Shepherd told investigators that she provides the primary income and Knox watches the children while she works. She added that Knox doesn’t let her see the children, according to court documents, and said he was responsible for feeding them and for their online schooling.
She admitted that she knew the children were “imprisoned” in their room since the summer of 2024 and she regularly didn’t see them for weeks at a time, documents said. She said Knox is “a bit controlling” and breaks things when angry but denied he was physically violent.
Investigators said she was visibly shocked and emotional when shown pictures of her son’s injured face, records said.
Knox is currently in Montgomery County Jail, and is scheduled to be in court May 20 for a hearing.
Staff writer Kristen Spicker contributed to this report.
About the Author
