Police say Ohio parents made 9 kids hold wall squats for hours with nails between their toes, and locked them behind cages to stop them taking food

A referral to Child Protective Services led Ohio detectives to a Licking County home where, investigators say, nine children were living in conditions so severe that all of them were removed the same day, according to Law&Crime. Two parents are now charged in the case.

Jonathan Parr, 37, and Jacquelyn Coleman, 32, were arrested and charged with third-degree felony child endangerment. Investigators accuse the couple of making the children stand for hours with nails between their toes and locking them behind cages or barriers. Police say the cages were meant to keep the kids from “stealing food at night.”

The Licking County Sheriff’s Office says detectives searched a home on National Road SW in Etna Township after receiving a referral from CPS about possible abuse and neglect. Twelve people between the ages of 1 and 64 lived at the property, including nine children between 1 and 13. Authorities say Parr is the father of seven of the children, while Coleman is the mother of all nine.

Investigators say the children were forced into wall squats while cameras watched them

The sheriff’s office said detectives found what it described as appalling and unsafe living conditions inside the home. All nine children were removed and placed in CPS custody, as the conditions raised serious concerns for their safety. According to the criminal complaint, the alleged conduct took place over more than three years, ending on the day of the search.

The CPS referral outlined allegations including a failure to provide food and water and insufficient living space. It also described children being forced to stand for hours with nails between their toes and being locked behind cages or barriers. The complaint accuses Parr and Coleman of corporal punishment and of restraining the children in a cruel manner that created a substantial risk of serious physical harm.

A case report states that one child told a CPS worker that he and his brother were forced to stand against a wall in a squatting position with their hands in the air. The child said the wall squats happened daily, at all hours, and were not only used as punishment. He said Parr, his stepfather, had cameras pointed at the wall to make sure they stayed in position.

According to the report, nails were placed between the children’s toes so they would not move or lean to one side. Coleman reportedly told investigators that she disagreed with the wall squats. However, she allegedly allowed them, as she did not have another place to stay. At least four of the children allegedly lived in a shed on the property with the couple.

The report also described filthy conditions inside the home, including a bathroom with a blackened toilet, and dirty dishes covering the shower floor with bugs crawling over them. Ohio authorities have handled other disturbing child endangerment cases, including an Ohio family accused of endangering 16 children in deplorable conditions.

When a social worker asked one child about the wall squats, the boy reportedly became fearful and started crying. He said he could not talk about it before running out of the room. However, Parr denied the allegations in court, saying, “It’s not true. I love my kids. I would die for my kids,” according to courtroom footage aired by WBNS.

Parr and Coleman are each being held on a $150,000 bond at the Licking County Justice Center. Both are presumed innocent, and neither has been convicted of any crime. The sheriff’s office has said all nine children were placed in CPS custody after the search.

The couple is scheduled to appear for preliminary hearings on Oct. 23, where a judge could decide whether the cases move forward.