A 27-year-old South Carolinian woman, Tenika Draper, will spend decades behind bars for torturing her 8-year-old stepdaughter. Draper forced the boy to eat animal feces and placed her in hypothermia baths, among other methods of abuse.
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As reported by Law & Crime, citing court records, Draper was sentenced to 35 years in a state correctional facility on Wednesday, September 17. She had previously pleaded guilty to 20 counts of unlawful neglect of a child and two counts of obstruction of justice.
When Draper is released from prison at 62 years old, she will serve five years of supervised release.
The case began back on September 2, 2022. Authorities were contacted by the Department of Social Services (DSS) after receiving a tip of possible child abuse from an anonymous source.
The Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) learned from a DSS caseworker that the adults living in the residence had hidden the young girl from her.
Horrifying Discovery
Upon arrival, SCSO deputies found four adults and four children. The older child had a “noticeable limp,” and multiple temporary tattoos were covering bruising on both legs. Draper allegedly admitted to covering her stepdaughter’s legs with makeup.
The oldest boy, according to the SCSO, was rushed to a local hospital. A forensic doctor determined that he had been the victim of child torture. Multiple instances in which he was physically and mentally abused by the four adults, including Tenika Draper, were detailed.
As reported by Fox Carolina, Draper forced her children, including her stepdaughter, to eat animal feces, wear diapers, restrict their bathroom use, tie them with a cutting board, and lock them in a closet.
In one instance, Draper forced her stepdaughter to eat gummy laxatives, with the girl believing them to be candy. Among other instances of abuse, authorities said Draper also placed her children in “hypothermia baths.” These consisted of submerging them in ice-cold water.
The other three adults, Ian Tatro, Trina Draper, and Ryan Dezotelle, are still facing felony charges. Tatro is the girl’s father, Trina is her step-grandmother, and Dezotelle is the victim’s step-uncle. Allegedly, Tatro told his daughter that he “wished he could kill her and get away with it.”