Authorities have arrested and charged a couple in Las Vegas with multiple counts of child abuse and neglect after six children were discovered suffering from severe abuse, including two of them being locked inside dog crates. Police reported that one of the children, an 11-year-old boy, was found unable to free himself from the kennel when rescued by officers.
The boy had two swollen black eyes, numerous marks, and bruises all over his body, and was severely undernourished, according to KLAS news. The children were immediately taken to a local hospital for medical care, where a doctor stated that the 11-year-old would not have survived without immediate treatment. Although the boy remained in critical condition, all six children exhibited scars and marks on their bodies, as reported by KLAS.
During the investigation, 31-year-old Travis Doss allegedly confessed to police that he had “beat [the child] pretty bad” but claimed he had no other option, as mentioned in court records. Doss admitted to using belts, cords, a skillet, and his hands to physically abuse the children. Shockingly, he even allowed a set of triplets to join in beating one of the other children.
Court records revealed that the two children were locked inside the dog crates as a means to prevent them from stealing food at night. On June 11, employees at a Walgreens store found 33-year-old Amanda Stamper hiding in a storeroom along with a 2-year-old child. They immediately alerted the police. Stamper informed the authorities that she was hiding from her husband, Doss, who had allegedly threatened to kill her.
According to KSNV news, Doss became angry with Stamper after she refused to assist in caring for the other children, as she was not their biological mother. While Stamper is the mother of the 2-year-old, she is not related to the other six children. Authorities clarified that the 2-year-old did not exhibit signs of abuse, and Doss claimed that he never harmed that child nor witnessed Stamper abusing any of the children.
On June 10, Doss allegedly informed Stamper that he believed the 11-year-old boy was dead after kicking him in the head with excessive force. Stamper reported that the boy had appeared lifeless for the past five days, according to KSNV.
Doss and Stamper have been charged with six counts each of child abuse or neglect resulting in substantial bodily harm. Additionally, Doss faces charges of sex trafficking and attempted murder.
Although Stamper is not directly accused of abusing the children, prosecutors assert that she witnessed the abuse and failed to intervene to protect the victims. Doss is currently held on a $250,000 bond, while Stamper’s bond has been set at $120,000.
