An Oklahoma Air Force lieutenant colonel and his wife are facing child-neglect charges after investigators alleged that their 9-year-old adopted daughter was severely undernourished and had been kept in a closet inside their Enid home.
Steven Haynes and Susan Haynes each face one count of child neglect following an investigation by the Oklahoma Department of Human Services. The allegations describe living conditions that investigators said left the child with little access to food, proper sleeping arrangements or a normal bathroom.
According to the allegations detailed in investigative documents, the girl weighed 39 pounds when authorities became involved. Investigators said she had been sleeping on a cot inside a closet with only a blanket and no pillow. A bucket was reportedly kept inside the closet for her to use as a bathroom.
Officials also alleged that the child was sometimes so hungry that she ate dog food.
The couple reportedly told investigators that they believed the girl had an eating disorder. When questioned about why she had not been taken to a doctor or counselor, Susan Haynes allegedly said she did not believe medical or counseling treatment would help.
Why investigators say she was called “Jingle Bells”
One of the more unusual allegations involves bells the girl was reportedly required to wear around her neck, wrists and legs.
Investigators said the bells allowed the adults in the home to hear where she was moving. The girl was consequently referred to as “Jingle Bells,” according to the allegations.
She also reportedly told investigators that she was sometimes required to take cold showers.
The allegations came after the child spoke with DHS investigators about what had been happening at home. Investigators reportedly noted that she described the conditions in a matter-of-fact way, suggesting that she had come to view them as part of her normal routine.
Earlier concerns had reportedly been raised
The recent investigation was not the first time authorities had received concerns about the girl’s welfare.
According to the investigative report, school personnel became concerned when the girl was attending pre-kindergarten. Staff reportedly noticed that she appeared malnourished and tried to take food from other children’s belongings.
DHS was contacted at the time. The family later removed the girl from school and began homeschooling her, according to the allegations.
More recently, investigators became involved again and the girl was eventually taken for medical evaluation. A report cited in local coverage said she showed signs of serious physical and psychological neglect.
Haynes works at Vance Air Force Base
Steven Haynes is a lieutenant colonel and a flight instructor at Vance Air Force Base in Enid. The Air Force identified him as a 19-year veteran in a statement concerning the case.
Vance Air Force Base is located in Enid, roughly 80 miles northwest of Oklahoma City.
Both Haynes and his wife were arrested and booked into the Garfield County Jail. They later posted $10,000 bonds.
Their next court appearance is scheduled for October 5. The allegations against them have not been established as facts in court, and the criminal charges do not by themselves constitute a finding of guilt.
The investigation remains focused on the circumstances surrounding the child’s care, nutrition and living conditions before authorities intervened.
