Tenika Draper: South Carolina Woman Sentenced to 35 Years For The Torture Of Her 8-year-old Stepdaughter
A South Carolina judge has sentenced a Wellford woman to 35 years in prison for a series of brutal acts against her 8-year-old stepdaughter.
Tenika Draper, 27, had pleaded guilty to 20 counts of unlawful neglect of a child and two counts of obstruction of justice.
The sentence, delivered by Seventh Judicial Circuit Judge Grace Gilchrist Knie, brings a close to a deeply disturbing investigation that uncovered severe child abuse
“The victim clearly met the criteria for a medical diagnosis of child torture,” stated the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office, citing the findings of a forensic doctor.
The investigation began on September 2, 2022, when Spartanburg County deputies responded to a home in Wellford for a child abuse investigation requested by the Department of Social Services (DSS).
An anonymous source had alerted the child welfare agency.
Upon arrival, deputies learned that DSS caseworkers had visited the home several times before, but the adults had deliberately hidden the victim.
During this visit, deputies found four adults and four children. They immediately noticed the 8-year-old girl had a limp and temporary tattoos covering multiple bruises on her legs.
The family, who had recently moved from Vermont, gave conflicting stories. Draper later admitted to putting makeup on the child’s legs to conceal the bruises from DSS workers.
All four children were taken into emergency protective custody.
The 8-year-old victim was transported to a hospital due to the severity of her bruising and potential blood loss.
In forensic interviews at the Children's Advocacy Center, the girl provided what authorities called "detailed and credible disclosures" of abuse from all four adults in the home.
Prosecutors said that Draper forced the child to eat animal feces—specifically cat poop—and cat treats. In one instance, she fed the girl gummy laxatives, telling her they were candy.
According to Law&Crime, the child was beaten with boards, cords, and frying pans.
She was forced to stand in a garbage can, subjected to hypothermia baths, and made to kneel inside wooden crates for long periods. She was also forced to stay in a closet for hours and was made to sleep there.
Adding to the emotional trauma, the girl was not allowed to use the bathroom.
When she had an accident, she was forced to clean up her own waste. Prosecutors said that on at least one occasion, when her cleaning was deemed insufficient, her face was rubbed into the soiled carpet.
According to police reports, after the victim was saved from the home, the child said, “This is the best day of my life.”
While Tenika Draper’s case has been resolved, the legal process continues for her three co-defendants who she was arrested with.
They are identified as Ian Tatro, the victim’s biological father; Trina Draper, the victim’s step-grandmother; and Ryan Dezotelle, the victim’s step-uncle. They were all reportedly part of the tragedy in one way or the other.
Afrer her 35-year incarceration, Tenika Draper will be placed on five years of supervised release.
For more details on this case and updates on other high-profile cases sign up for our free newsletter here.
Comments
Post a Comment