azathoth777
08-20-2006, 04:06 PM
Witnesses say a woman repeatedly abused her 14-year-old and 5-year-old daughters, tying them to a bed without food or water, forcing them to eat toilet tissue with dog feces on it, and making the youngest sleep in a dog crate, authorities said Friday.
Penny Lea Holloway, 42, of Broken Arrow also allegedly forced one of her children to take anti-psychotic medication and left the pair alone for days on end, according to reports.
Holloway, who was arrested Thursday night at her home in the 8500 block of South 193rd East Avenue, was moved from Broken Arrow to the Wagoner County jail on Friday. She is charged with four counts of child abuse.
"These children are telling us these outlandish stories, (but) we found evidence in the home which corroborates what they said," Broken Arrow Police Maj. Mark Irwin said. "The victims say it's been going on for years."
Police rescued the children Tuesday night after a tip from a family friend, authorities said. The 14-year-old girl then told investigators that Holloway, their natural mother, put them through various types of physical and emotional abuse, according to a probable cause affidavit.
"The defendant physically restrained the victims by the use of handcuffs, zip-ties, leather dog leashes and duct tape to the bed without food or water," the affidavit states. "The defendant also reportedly forced one of the victims to be locked in a dog crate overnight, and on several occasions each victim was forced to eat animal feces, insects and soiled toilet paper."
An 18-year-old daughter also informed authorities about similar allegations of physical and emotional abuse, according to the report. The oldest daughter no longer lives in the home.
Witnesses -- including the daughters and the family friend -- told police that Holloway would leave the children unattended for days at a time.
The two youngest daughters were taken into state Department of Human Services custody and are now in a foster home, according to reports.
"It's very disturbing," District Attorney Richard Gray said. "We're still trying to sort it out, and we're glad that her friend was willing to tip us off.
"We have no idea how much longer this would have continued."
Police also found syringes and other evidence of drug use in the home, Irwin noted. Holloway likely could be charged with drug counts at a later date, he added.
The child-abuse counts focused on specific allegations of abuse in July until this week. On Tuesday, Holloway allegedly slapped the 5-year-old girl on the leg and made her stand with a banana in her mouth for 30 minutes.
The younger child also was forced to stay in a portable dog carrier for an extended period of time, according to the charge.
On Sunday, Holloway allegedly forced the 14-year-old daughter to take excessive amounts of the prescription drug Risperdal, according to the charge information. Risperdal is listed in medical journals as an anti-psychotic medication to treat bipolar mania and schizophrenia.
Holloway reportedly told authorities she was diagnosed as a bipolar manic depressive, according to the affidavit. She also admitted to using restraints on the children and placing one of the children in the dog crate while she was incapacitated, the document read.
"On numerous occasions, she would keep the children awake for days as she went through her manic phase of her illness and would leave them unattended for days as she slept during her depressive phase," according to the affidavit. "She further stipulated that she was verbally abusive to the children and that they were fearful for her."
The gate to the rural home was chained on Friday. A neighbor who lives a few blocks from the Holloway residence expressed sorrow about the children's situation but said she did not know much about the family.
"I'd seldom see them," Tresa Cherry said. "The youngest one, mainly. I think they kept pretty well to themselves."
Thirty-seven dogs of various mixes and breeds were found in the feces-littered home with the girls, reports state. Irwin said the dogs are fine and in the care of the Broken Arrow Animal Shelter.
"She has a claim on them," he said of Holloway. "If she ever relinquishes that, we'll try to adopt them out."
Holloway also kept numerous horses at the rural residence on the western edge of Wagoner County. A family friend is taking care of those animals, Irwin said.
Penny Lea Holloway, 42, of Broken Arrow also allegedly forced one of her children to take anti-psychotic medication and left the pair alone for days on end, according to reports.
Holloway, who was arrested Thursday night at her home in the 8500 block of South 193rd East Avenue, was moved from Broken Arrow to the Wagoner County jail on Friday. She is charged with four counts of child abuse.
"These children are telling us these outlandish stories, (but) we found evidence in the home which corroborates what they said," Broken Arrow Police Maj. Mark Irwin said. "The victims say it's been going on for years."
Police rescued the children Tuesday night after a tip from a family friend, authorities said. The 14-year-old girl then told investigators that Holloway, their natural mother, put them through various types of physical and emotional abuse, according to a probable cause affidavit.
"The defendant physically restrained the victims by the use of handcuffs, zip-ties, leather dog leashes and duct tape to the bed without food or water," the affidavit states. "The defendant also reportedly forced one of the victims to be locked in a dog crate overnight, and on several occasions each victim was forced to eat animal feces, insects and soiled toilet paper."
An 18-year-old daughter also informed authorities about similar allegations of physical and emotional abuse, according to the report. The oldest daughter no longer lives in the home.
Witnesses -- including the daughters and the family friend -- told police that Holloway would leave the children unattended for days at a time.
The two youngest daughters were taken into state Department of Human Services custody and are now in a foster home, according to reports.
"It's very disturbing," District Attorney Richard Gray said. "We're still trying to sort it out, and we're glad that her friend was willing to tip us off.
"We have no idea how much longer this would have continued."
Police also found syringes and other evidence of drug use in the home, Irwin noted. Holloway likely could be charged with drug counts at a later date, he added.
The child-abuse counts focused on specific allegations of abuse in July until this week. On Tuesday, Holloway allegedly slapped the 5-year-old girl on the leg and made her stand with a banana in her mouth for 30 minutes.
The younger child also was forced to stay in a portable dog carrier for an extended period of time, according to the charge.
On Sunday, Holloway allegedly forced the 14-year-old daughter to take excessive amounts of the prescription drug Risperdal, according to the charge information. Risperdal is listed in medical journals as an anti-psychotic medication to treat bipolar mania and schizophrenia.
Holloway reportedly told authorities she was diagnosed as a bipolar manic depressive, according to the affidavit. She also admitted to using restraints on the children and placing one of the children in the dog crate while she was incapacitated, the document read.
"On numerous occasions, she would keep the children awake for days as she went through her manic phase of her illness and would leave them unattended for days as she slept during her depressive phase," according to the affidavit. "She further stipulated that she was verbally abusive to the children and that they were fearful for her."
The gate to the rural home was chained on Friday. A neighbor who lives a few blocks from the Holloway residence expressed sorrow about the children's situation but said she did not know much about the family.
"I'd seldom see them," Tresa Cherry said. "The youngest one, mainly. I think they kept pretty well to themselves."
Thirty-seven dogs of various mixes and breeds were found in the feces-littered home with the girls, reports state. Irwin said the dogs are fine and in the care of the Broken Arrow Animal Shelter.
"She has a claim on them," he said of Holloway. "If she ever relinquishes that, we'll try to adopt them out."
Holloway also kept numerous horses at the rural residence on the western edge of Wagoner County. A family friend is taking care of those animals, Irwin said.