After reportedly drugging her grandchildren and locking them in a dog cage whenever she left the house, a 53-year-old Oklahoma lady was taken into custody.
Following her arrest last month, Davena Dian Marx was charged with one crime of child abuse and one count of child neglect.
When Warr Acres Police Department detectives and an Oklahoma Department of Health Services social worker received a tip that children were being harmed at Marx’s residence in March 2024, the investigation into Marx got underway.
Marx’s eight-year-old granddaughter allegedly texted the social worker shortly after arriving at the residence, saying, “She is mean to us she is very abusive.”
After the kids were taken away from Marx, the granddaughter allegedly told the police, “Memaw sells drugs and uses them.”
The child allegedly went on to say, “When she wants to go outside by herself, she makes us stay in the dog cage.”
After being taken to a Safe Clinic, the kids were examined by doctors and interviewed by forensic experts regarding the experience. According to reports from doctors, the granddaughter’s back had bruises that were consistent with being belt-whipped.
Marx allegedly subjected the youngsters to emotional and physical abuse during the forensic interview, forcing them to perform callisthenic exercises until their limbs failed.
According to authorities, Marx’s 10-year-old grandson claimed that his grandma frequently gave him prescription medications that weren’t intended for him.
Warr Acres Assistant Police Chief Jason Allen reported that the toddler tested positive for Seroquel, a sleep-inducing psychiatric medication that Marx allegedly prescribed, despite Marx’s denials that he gave the boy any medications.
Marx was verbally abusive to the children, calling them “worthless” and “little bastards,” according to neighbours who informed police that Marx was still attempting to reclaim custody of the children after they were taken away last year.
Neighbours also claimed to have seen the kids dumpster-diving for food scraps and with battered faces. Additionally, at least one neighbour allegedly reported seeing the kids sobbing while they were imprisoned in a cage designed for a large dog.
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According to one of the neighbours, Marx initially obtained legal custody of the kids following the death of their father, Marx’s son Devyn Wayne Hinkle, in 2022. A GoFundMe website claims that Hinkle was shot during a road rage incident on November 25, 2022, at approximately 2:35 p.m.
Kasey McConville shot and killed Hinkle, 31, who was operating a red pickup truck close to Northwest 10th Street and Meridian Avenue.
After discovering him sprawled beside his truck in the street, authorities took him to a nearby hospital, where they declared him dead.
According to reports, McConville was operating a “hearse-like” car with a Christmas wreath dangling from the side. He was taken into custody later that day after multiple witnesses gave police reliable reports of the shooting.
According to documents, he entered a guilty plea to second-degree murder in 2024 after being charged with first-degree murder. After that, he received a sentence of 20 years in jail and 15 years of supervised release.
