Couple Accused Of Locking Kid In Dog Cage, Forcing To Jump Off Roof

A Lexington woman accused of locking her children in a dog cage, forcing them to jump off a roof and trying to suffocate them with plastic shopping bags apparently had a seizure moments after details of the alleged abuse were revealed in court.

Details were provided through testimony Thursday by James Root, a detective in Lexington police's Crimes Against Children unit. Root gave a clearer picture of what led police to charge Cheryl G. Christopher, 51, and her husband, Elisha B. Christopher, 69.

Root said Cheryl Christopher had five adopted children living with her, but the majority of abuse seemed to be directed at two girls, who were 7 to 9 years old during a period of "ongoing abuse." Police have previously said the alleged abuse has been going on for several years.

Police were first contacted in June by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services about disturbing statements the children made during therapy sessions, he said.

"They disclosed to their counselor that their mother ... had put them in dog cages with Doberman pinschers and had on several occasions attempted to drown them after duct-taping their eyes and mouth," he said. "Both children stated that their mother had placed Kroger or Wal-Mart bags over their heads, trying to suffocate them."

The girls said their mother forced them to jump off of a roof, and indicated their mother padlocked their bedroom doors, locking them inside for extended periods, he said.

The stories were "corroborated by siblings and outside sources that were not related to the Christophers," Root said.

Police have said the alleged abuse took place at the couple's former home in the 1900 block of Deauville Drive. The Christophers moved to 616 St. Anthony Drive in January after they were evicted for failing to pay rent, according to court documents.

Root said the company that owns the Deauville Drive property told police after the Christophers were evicted that doors in the house had locks on the outside and that some of the doors had "claw marks or kick marks from inside the rooms trying to get out," he said.

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• Cheryl Christopher
• Elisha Christopher
• Child abuse
• jump off roof
• lock in dog cages