Virginia Parents Drywalled Three Daughters Into Room Covered in Feces, Urine

Three girls, youngest just months old, sealed in room.

ByABC News
March 29, 2011, 11:03 AM

March 29, 2011 — -- Two parents are facing felony child abuse charges after using drywall to seal their three young daughters in a room covered with feces and urine.

John Michael Robey, 33, and Christina Dawn Moore, 26, were charged with three counts of felony child abuse and neglect. They are being held at the Prince William-Manassas Regional Jail.

Robey and Moore are accused of placing their three naked daughters into a room in their two story home. Then, they allegedly nailed a five foot high piece of drywall into the doorway of the room.

On Saturday, the couple's 4-year-old child escaped from the Bristow, Va., home by climbing over the drywall and squeezing through an opening at the top. The naked child ran to a neighbor saying that her two sisters were still at the home.

The neighbor, who has not been identified, helped get the other children, a 2-year-old toddler and a 4-month-old baby, out of the house.

A 911 call was placed from the neighbor's home.

Police awakened a sleeping Robey and Moore.

"They were asleep the whole time, definitely not parents of the year," Prince William County Police Officer Jonathan Perok said.

Neighbors were shocked by what happened to the girls.

"They would have some arguments every now and then and it was kind of loud," said the couple's neighbor the Rev. Tyler Brown. "This is sad. It really and truly is. You don't do that to a child. You really and truly don't."

The mother of the children has previously faced child neglect charges in 2005 when her 22-month-old twin boys were found wandering around a junkyard, ABC Affiliate WJLA reported.

Moore was allegedly sleeping nearby while the boys played just steps away from a major highway.

Authorities said the boys appeared dirty, hungry and both had several scratches and bug bites, WJLA reported.

It's unclear if Moore still has custody of the boys. Her daughters did not appear malnourished and authorities believe the girls were in the room for less than a day.

The girls have been placed into the custody of Child Protective Services.