A year-long investigation into abuse allegations claims that an Oklahoma grandmother drugged her grandchildren and kept them in a dog cage for hours when she wanted to leave alone.
According to local reports, Davena Marx, 53, is accused of forcing the two children, whom she had full custody of, to exercise until they passed out, grinding her heels into their feet, beating them with a belt, and giving them anti-psychotic medications.
She was accused of several counts of child abuse and neglect involving her 6-year-old grandson and 8-year-old granddaughter.
Following their rescue from the purported house of horrors in Warr Acres, one of the kids admitted to investigators that “Memaw sells drugs and uses them. She makes us stay in the dog cage when she wants to go outside by herself.”
The young child told investigators that Marx, whom he referred to as “Memaw,” gave him Seroquel, a medication that induces sleep and is only recommended for children over the age of 13. Seroquel is used to treat schizophrenia.
Both Marx’s grandson and granddaughter had traces of the drug, according to the police.
According to local reports, a Department of Human Services social worker received a tip regarding abuse last year and performed a welfare check.
The granddaughter texted a social worker, saying, “She is very abusive and mean to us.”
The children were taken out of the house right away.
After being taken to a Safe Clinic, officers questioned and examined the children regarding the alleged abuse.
According to the outlet, doctors determined that the granddaughter’s back bruises were consistent with being struck with a belt.
According to the publication, the grandchildren claimed that Marx mistreated them emotionally and physically, even making them perform callisthenic exercises until their limbs failed.
According to reports, a neighbour told authorities that he had witnessed the siblings searching for food in trash dumpsters after the children were rescued.
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According to Jason Allen, assistant police chief of Warr Acres, Marx was arrested in May following in-depth interviews with her grandchildren.
“The day we went out with them, there was enough to immediately remove the children, which is often not the case,” Allen remarked.
Authorities reportedly obtained a search warrant for the apartment and discovered a bottle of Seroquel and Alprazolam, both of which were prescribed to Marx, along with marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
Allen stated, “They did find a large dog cage in the residence. They also did locate Seroquel, which was also one of the allegations that Seroquel had been given to the children as well.”
According to a GoFundMe post, Marx took custody of her grandchildren in 2022 after their father was shot dead in a road rage incident.
