Two accused of detaining children for 'fight night' and locking teenagers in chicken pens

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one missouri Police say the couple allegedly abused and neglected the woman’s two children and now face 12 felony charges each. teenageras well as locking them in chicken pens and forcing them to fight each other.

Chantel Hayford and her boyfriend, Jerry Menees, were taken into custody after police raided their Potosi home on Tuesday. investigation into what is said to be ongoing abuseThe Washington County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement Press release Wednesday.

Sheriff Scott Reed told KSDK Hayford was initially shocked by the abuse reported by the Department of Family Services in December, but immediately admitted it to investigators on Tuesday.

Hayford and Menes allegedly refused to provide food or housing to the teens, locked a 13-year-old and a 14-year-old in a chicken coop and shot them with a BB gun. The Sheriff’s Office said there was evidence of abuse, including forcing the children to fight each other on birthday “fight nights.”

Court documents obtained by KSDK said the alleged abuse spanned from January 2023 to December 2025. Couple allegedly forced teenagers to try methamphetaminebeating them and throwing stones at them.

Chantel Hayford and Jerry Menees each face 12 counts of child abuse and neglect after keeping teenagers in chicken coop in Akkegekky (Washington County Sheriff’s Office)

Menis also allegedly pointed a gun at the teens and threatened to kill them, while Hayford was charged with inappropriate sexual contact with one of the teens, officials said.

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Reed said local authorities never received any physical reports of abuse at the Hayford home.

“The place where they live is very rural. There are no neighbors nearby,” he told KSDK. “We never got a call from any school saying kids were saying this or that. We never got a call from the DFS hotline. We didn’t get anything, though.”

Reed used this case to remind adults that all reports of child abuse should be taken seriously.

“If a kid tells you a crazy story, it doesn’t mean it’s not true,” he said.

Both adults face 12 counts of child neglect and abuse. Hayford was charged with four counts child abusethree counts of endangering the welfare of children, two counts of kidnapping, and two counts of domestic violence. assault and one count of sexual abuse.

Meaney faces three counts of domestic assault, two counts of child abuse or neglect, kidnapping, endangering the welfare of a child and armed criminal action, and one count of unlawful use of a weapon.

Both men are being held in the Washington County Jail without bail and have a court hearing scheduled for Tuesday.

Anyone who believes a child may be in immediate danger resulting in death or serious injury should call 911.