John Jefferson
Left: Haley Blevins. Right: Jacalyn Cook (Bowie County Jail).
Cops in Texas arrested two women after they allegedly beat three children with a dog leash studded with spikes and belts after the boys did not complete their chores.
Haley Blevins, 19, and Jacalyn Cook, 30, are each facing multiple counts of injury to a child, a felony. According to a probable cause arrest affidavit, the mother of the boys, ages 12, 7 and 4, called Texarkana police on Oct. 15 to report the alleged abuse that occurred a few days prior, a probable cause arrest affidavit said.
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The 30-year-old mom said she and her three kids moved in with Cook after they became homeless. Shortly after, Cook allowed Blevins to move in as well. The mother reportedly expressed reservation about Blevins as she has a history of mental health problems. She said when she returned home from work on Oct. 11 her oldest son told her that he and his brothers had been beaten. He said after the three of them returned home from school, Blevins gave them chores to complete. The chores consisted of doing dishes, taking a mattress outside and moving a couch from one room to another, the affidavit said.
Blevins allegedly began beating the boys because the chores were not completed “to her satisfaction,” cops wrote. The eldest son estimated that Blevins and Cook had struck him more than 20 times. All three boys had bruises and welts up and down their buttocks and legs, cops noted. Detectives believed the injuries appeared to be “excessive in terms of discipline.”
Investigators took the boys to the Children’s Advocacy Center to conduct interviews. The 7-year-old said Cook allegedly “whooped” him with a “spiky switch” from a tree while Blevins hit him with a belt. The 4-year-old told cops Cook hit him with a “leash with spikes,” the affidavit said. When interviewers asked the oldest boy why he was at the advocacy center he replied it was because “I got abused on Friday,” the affidavit stated.
He said he was told to do dishes but ran out of soap and stopped. After he laid down on his bed Blevins allegedly came into the room and started striking him with a “thick belt.” Blevins then made him move a couch to another room, but it was heavy and hard for him to carry. Whenever he dropped it, Blevins allegedly would hit him with the belt, the affidavit said. Then he and his brothers were forced to stand against a wall and Blevins kept whipping them with the belt, cops wrote.
Police arrested Blevins and Cook and took them to the Bowie County Jail.
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