Last year, Shepherd pleaded guilty to three felony counts of endangering children, one count of aggravated possession of drugs and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia and endangering children charges, according to Montgomery County Common Pleas Court records.
Her boyfriend, Kyle Knox, was sentenced to 40 to 45.5 years in prison after pleading guilty to 102 counts of endangering children, seven counts of aggravated arson (harm to a person) and one count of strangulation earlier this year.
“These children were subjected to horrible abuse, both physical and psychological,” said Montgomery County Prosecutor Mat Heck Jr. “They were able eventually to escape their house of horrors and are now safe. These defendants deserve to be locked up where they can never again abuse children or allow it to happen.”
Shepherd’s 9-year-old daughter and 8-year-old son were reportedly confined to a bedroom with trash, refuse and bottles of urine.
Dayton police also found blood throughout the room as well as a camera propped up on a Pringles can facing into the bedroom, according to Montgomery County Juvenile Court documents.
“(The girl) described Mr. Knox was the only one allowed in their room,” court records read. “She said he came in to bring food or to be mean to (the boy).”
The children reportedly had to have Knox’s permission to use the bathroom.
They were found wandering on Arlene Avenue by a neighbor on Nov. 18, 2024, according to Dayton Municipal Court records. The children had reportedly fled their home to get help.
A woman told 911 dispatchers the boy’s mouth was “beat up” and it looked like someone had tortured him, according to Montgomery County Regional Dispatch Center records.
They were taken to Dayton Children’s Hospital where medical staff determined the boy’s injuries were consistent with torture, an affidavit stated.
“He had burns, cuts, bruises and fractures in different stages of healing,” juvenile court records read. “Some were fresh. He also had injuries to his genitalia and buttocks.”
He had a severe lip injury that kept him from closing his mouth.
The girl had a bruise on her side. Both reportedly had signs of malnutrition.
The prosecutor’s office said the children left their home to get help.
The girl told investigators Knox used lighters, belts, a box cutter and his hands to physically abuse her brother, according to an affidavit.
Shepherd said she last saw her son in October 2024 and her daughter in November 2024, according to municipal court records.
“Mother admitted she knew the children were imprisoned in their room since the summer of 2024 and she regularly did not see them for weeks at a time,” juvenile court records read. “She denied ever hearing any screams or crying from the children’s room.”
She said Knox took care of her children while she worked and he didn’t permit her to see them, according to court documents.
Knox claimed he didn’t know how the children got hurt, according to juvenile court records. He said Shepherd got a babysitter for the children while they did Spark and DoorDash deliveries.
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