Martha Couch had pleaded guilty to felony counts of child and animal abuse, dating back to 2019 — a case where she was allegedly responsible for severe physical and mental abuse towards her children.

Including one daughter being chained to a bed, and an incident where Martha was alleged to have boiled four puppies, while forcing her children to watch, and shooting one of her children’s dog as punishment.

With the new knowledge, and concern over the other children inside, and wanting to know Martha’s whereabouts, deputies then returned to the trailer home with a warrant later Thursday afternoon.

However before they entered, one of the adult children explained to deputies that they had been told their mother died years ago, and one of their younger siblings had been missing for approximately three years.

(via Off the Press)

[Charles Dickens couldn’t have made this one up. But why is she only being held on a $5000 cash bond as a probation absconder? — Ed]