Overview
- Moab police arrested Jeremiah James Perkins, 39, Jennifer Perkins, 48, and Jonathan William Jarman, 28, on Tuesday and they are being held without bail, according to court records.
- Charging documents allege the child lost about 11 pounds, or 13% of body weight, over five months and was diagnosed with severe malnutrition and refeeding syndrome after removal from the home on Oct. 29.
- Investigators say the child was restricted to a vegan diet consisting mainly of vegetables and rice, frequently begged for food, and ingested Tums, DayQuil, and toothpaste when food was withheld.
- The child told investigators he was locked in a dog kennel secured with zip ties and described punishments that included being hog-tied with handcuffs and rope, placed on a cold air vent, gagged with a ball gag, and forced into cold showers.
- Prosecutors filed the first-degree charges under Utah’s new child-torture statute in 7th District Court; the child has been in foster care since October as the case moves forward.