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16-year-old girl found dead, weighed 56 lbs; parents charged

PERRY, Iowa — A 16-year-old girl weighing just 56 pounds was found dead in her Iowa home, investigators said.

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Police in Perry, Iowa, said Sabrina Ray lived with her adoptive parents, Misty and Marc Ray. The couple ran a state-licensed daycare out of their home, KCCI-TV reported.

The Rays were out of the state when their daughter died, police said.

Officers received a 911 call from the home, according to the Des Moines Register. When they arrived, they found two girls, ages 10 and 12, in the room with Sabrina’s body. The two other girls were also adopted by the Rays.

An autopsy of the 16-year-old's body showed severe malnutrition.

There were at least two complaints logged against the daycare, allegedly related to inadequate nutrition and corporal punishments. The Des Moines Register reported that state workers found no evidence of abuse.

One parent whose child used to attend the daycare said she had no idea that Sabrina was being abused.

"I am mad at myself. I am angry,” said parent Amanda Howard. “I’ve replayed it in my head, ‘Did I miss something? Did I not catch something?'"

Others said they thought Sabrina was about 8 years old due to her size and stature. 

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The Rays were also foster parents; one of the former foster children, Marco Mendez, told KCCI-TV that the Rays terrorized Sabrina.

"She was really sweet," Mendez said. "Sabrina was the main one who got beat the most."

He said the girl would eat out of the trash because she was so hungry. The other two girls, who are now under doctors' care, would hide food in their clothing to eat later, he said.

The Rays were arrested and charged with two counts of child endangerment causing serious injury, one count of neglect or abandonment of a dependent person and one count of child endangerment resulting in death. They were also charged with two counts of child endangerment causing serious injury and two counts of neglect or abandonment.

They are each being held on a $1 million cash-only bond, reported the Des Moines Register.

The investigation into the parents continues, with police looking into possible abuse of past foster children.

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