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Amanda Hicks -
Justin Hicks
A Blaine County couple is facing multiple felony charges of child abuse and neglect.
Amanda Hicks and Justin Hicks, of Canton, were arrested on charges they willfully withheld food from their children and physically abused them.
The situation was brought to light when a medical care provider reported their reservations about the children’s care. State law requires care providers to report suspected abuse or neglect. On three occasions, administration at the children’s school referred their cases to Department of Human Services. It is unclear whether those referrals were acted on by DHS, but according to Blaine County Sheriff Travis Daugherty, his office was not aware of those reports.
The probable cause affidavit for Justin Hicks lists four felony child abuse charges. The first count indicates that the six children in the home, ranging in age from two to nine-years-old, were not provided with food or water, baths or clean clothing.
The second count indicates that in May, Hicks kicked the 8-year-old in the stomach, while the third count is that in March, he poured hot sauce into the same child’s mouth and eye. The fourth count reads that in January he kicked the nine-year-old in the stomach.
Each count separately can carry punishment of up to life imprisonment and/or up to $5,000 fine.
On Sept. 15, deputies and DHS administrators went to the couple’s Canton home. Both were questioned, the children were placed in protective custody and Justin Hicks was arrested. His cellphone was placed into evidence.
A search warrant was obtained for the cellphone and the sheriff’s office took multiple photographs of text messages between Justin Hicks and Amanda Hicks that catalogue alleged abuse including pulling hair out of a child’s scalp and shaving the scalp to disguise the missing hair; a toddler playing in the toilet, covering herself with fecal material; taking a child to the doctor because the mother believed the child had a dislocated arm; withholding food; striking the children with a belt and screwing one of the bedroom doors shut with a child inside.
Amanda Hicks was arrested on or about Oct. 6 and faces six counts of felony child neglect, three counts of enabling child abuse and two counts of conspiracy to commit child abuse or neglect, also felonies.
Each count is punishable by up to life imprisonment and/or up to $5,000 fine per count.
Justin and Amanda Hicks each remain in the Blaine County Jail in lieu of separate $100,000 bonds. The children are in foster care.