Home / Crime and Justice / Missouri Parents Held BB Gun BBs on Kids in Chicken Pen
Missouri Parents Held BB Gun BBs on Kids in Chicken Pen
16 Jan
Summary
- Parents allegedly shot children with BB guns while locked in a chicken pen.
- Couple accused of organizing 'fight nights' and abusing children.
- Mother allegedly traded custody of children for a phone and plan.
In Potosi, Missouri, Chantel Hayford and Jerry Menees are facing 24 felony charges related to severe child abuse and neglect. Authorities began investigating the couple last December after receiving allegations of abuse. The accusations include the horrifying act of locking Hayford's 13- and 14-year-old sons in a chicken pen, screwing it shut, and then shooting them with a BB gun.
The abuse reportedly extended to forced 'fight nights' where the children were made to fight each other, along with physical beatings and the administration of drugs and alcohol. Court documents reveal that Hayford also allegedly traded custody of her three children—including a 17-year-old daughter—to another adult in July 2025 in exchange for a phone and a service plan.
The children were found to be severely underweight, uneducated, and unable to read or write when they were placed with a guardian. Both Hayford and Menees are currently in custody without bond, with hearings scheduled for January 20. Sheriff Scott Reed described the case as unprecedented in his experience.
