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Children Held in Truck Cab for 5 Years
23 Aug
Summary
- Four children were confined in a tractor-trailer for nearly six years.
- They were denied schooling, medical care, and adequate nutrition.
- The children suffered physical and sexual abuse within the vehicle.
Four children were allegedly held captive in the cramped cab of a tractor-trailer for nearly six years by Keisha Epps and Tamra Stewart, according to reports filed on August 6, 2026. The children were denied basic necessities, including schooling for approximately five years, regular hygiene, and sufficient exercise outside the vehicle.
During their confinement, the children reportedly received poor nutrition and lacked access to any medical services. One child suffered a severe burn injury from cooked noodles, resulting in a permanent scar because no medical treatment was sought. Investigators noted the children exhibited an unnatural gait due to prolonged immobility.
Further allegations include severe physical and sexual abuse. Children reported being punched by Stewart, who was responsible for their supervision while Epps slept or drove. Epps is accused of witnessing and permitting the abuse, even using derogatory language toward a child, while one child was found to have an untreated sexually transmitted infection.
Epps and Stewart were arrested on August 6, 2026, and charged with four counts of child neglect each. Stewart also faces capital charges for alleged sexual battery of a child under 12, which could carry the death penalty or life imprisonment in Florida. Both are currently held in Duval County Jail awaiting trial.
