Father and His Girlfriend Sentenced to 3 Decades in Prison After Tying His Daughter, 15, to a Tree for ‘Over 24 Hours’

Mar. 15, 2025

Johnny James; Kayla Clark.Photo:Washington County Jail (2)

Washington County Jail (2)

A Texas dad and his girlfriend will spend decades in prison fortying the man’s 15-year-old daughter to a treein Oklahoma last summer.

On Wednesday, Feb. 5, Johnny James, 41, and Kayla Clark, 42, were sentenced to 35 and 30 years, respectively, for various child abuse and neglect charges, according to reports from Oklahoma outletsFox 23, theBartlesville Examiner-EnterpriseandNews on 6’s Lori Fullbright.

Neither James nor Clark will be eligible for parole until they have completed 85% of their respective sentences, according to Oklahoma state law, per Fox 23 and theExaminer-Enterprise.

Johnny James.Washington County Jail

Washington County Jail

She also appeared malnourished and suffered scarring on both her wrists and legs that were consistent with rope burns, theExaminer-Enterprisereported.

When officers arrived on the scene, they allegedly found the teen sitting on a piece of carpet she had been given to sleep on, police said at the time. A following investigation determined that James had allegedly tied her to a tree on his family’s property for “over 24 hours” using a ratchet strap.

The teen was taken to a local hospital for treatment of injuries at the time, according to police.

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James told authorities that he tied the girl to the tree to punish her, telling police that “the child has problems urinating and defecating while indoors and if she was outdoors there would not be any mess,” police said last summer. Investigators, however, believed he tied her to the tree to punish her for wanting to live with her mother, Fullbright reported.

Kayla Clark.Washington County Jail

According to Washington County District Attorney Will Drake, James and Clark’s sentencing appropriately reflected the severity of the abuse they inflicted, theExaminer-Enterprisereported.

“This investigation and the conclusion of the cases were the result of a group effort between multiple agencies working together for the best interests of the children involved and to hold these perpetrators accountable for their actions,” the district attorney said, referring to the collaboration between both the sheriff’s office and Department of Human Services (DHS).

The DHS took custody of both the teen and other children who were found in the Oklahoma residence last summer, police reported at the time.

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

source: people.com