Utah couple arrested, accused of locking young teen in ‘makeshift cell’ at home

Pat Reavy, KSL.com

KEARNS, Utah (KSL.com) — A Kearns mates person been arrested and accused of locking children successful their location successful “makeshift cells” for days and perchance weeks astatine a time.

Melissa Ann Gray, 41, and Travis Stacey Peterson, 49, were each booked into nan Salt Lake County Jail connected Tuesday for investigation of aggravated kid abuse. Gray was besides arrested connected suspicion of an further count of kid maltreatment pinch injury.

The investigation began connected Aug. 19 erstwhile Unified constabulary were called to cheque connected a imaginable kid maltreatment business astatine a location adjacent 4600 West and 4900 South involving a 13-year-old boy.

An undisclosed witnesser claimed nan boy was being “locked successful a makeshift cell,” according to a constabulary booking affidavit.

“When officers arrived connected scene, they observed (the boy) successful nan hallway of nan home, successful an alcove looking for illustration a closet nether nan stairs pinch gates affixed to nan walls and locked pinch a padlock from nan extracurricular truthful (the boy) was incapable to get out,” nan affidavit states. “(The boy) had been locked successful nan makeshift compartment for astir 24 hours astir nan clock.”

Gray, nan boy’s stepmother, had besides made nan boy driblet his pants truthful she could spank him for “screaming successful nan home,” nan affidavit alleges. “Prior to being spanked, (the boy) reported being hungry, lonely and having to slumber coiled up successful nan makeshift cells.”

Officers learned that nan boy had besides been “locked into a makeshift compartment made retired his loft furniture … for months and only fto retired erstwhile he would person to spell to nan bathroom,” nan apprehension study says.

The boy recounted a clip to officers that he was “desperate to get retired of nan compartment to usage nan restroom” and had to break retired of nan holding compartment “because nary 1 was responding to his pleas to get out.”

Police besides reported that nan boy’s 22-year-old relative “had been locked up erstwhile he was younger by his father.”

“Both Melissa and Travis did not judge that thing was incorrect pinch putting (the younger boy) successful a compartment and locking it from nan outside. Melissa stated (that) she wanted (the boy) to spot what it was for illustration successful a metropolis and nan existent world,” nan affidavit states.

Peterson allegedly further told constabulary that nan boy “would beryllium returning into nan compartment if he returned to nan Peterson residence.”

“While speaking to nan father, Travis, he informed maine he worked successful wellness attraction and stated if he was arrested for kid maltreatment he would suffer his job. I asked Travis to explain and he stated ‘the federation and world is cracking down connected this benignant of thing,'” according to nan affidavit.