4 charged after Beavercreek child reports ‘whoopings’
Four people are BEAVERCREEK — facing charges after a child in Beavercreek reported being hit with a belt approximately 200 times in their home.
Marquette Cantrell, 35; Tammara Moreland, 36; Tchanavian Cantrell, 35; and John Wesley Cantrell III, 36; all of Beavercreek, were charged with one count of felonious assault and one count of endangering children, according to Fairborn Municipal Court.
On Oct. 8, a Beavercreek school notified Greene County Children Services after receiving information that a child was being abused via an alert on a district-owned computer, according to court documents. One of the adults reportedly told the district the child was going to be home schooled.
About a week later, the child showed up at school for class. School officials contacted an unnamed person because they thought the child was being home schooled, according to an affidavit. When the child found out they were going to be picked up, they ran outside and into a wooded area nearby.
The Greene County Sheriff’s Office responded and found the child near the school. The child told the sheriff ’s office they didn’t want to be returned because they were being physically abused, according to court documents. The sheriff ’s office then contacted Greene County Children Services.
The child told a caseworker “whoopings” occurred anytime something went wrong and said the four suspects used a black belt, metal belt and brown belt to hit them, according to court records.
During an interview at Michael’s House Child Advocacy Center, the child said they received about 200 “licks” because they didn’t do their chores correctly about two or three weeks ago, according to a court affidavit. The child also reported that alcohol was poured on the injuries and that other children in the home were brought out to watch them get hit.
“Throughout the interview [the child] stated, ‘They abuse us, all of us,’” according to court records.
On Oct. 21 all four suspects were arrested and Greene County Children Services removed 13 children from the home. The suspects posted bond on Monday, and their next court appearance is scheduled for Thursday.