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living with autism was locked up in a cage, threatened and abused and forced to eat her mother's ashes by five people, who were indicted this week by a federal grand jury in New Orleans, officials said.
The indictments accuse five family members of abusing their 22-year-old relative until June 2016, according to court documents released by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
Raylaine Knope, Terry J. Knope II, Jody Lambert, Taylor Knope and Bridget Lambert were identified Thursday in the indictment. Bridget Lambert was charged separately in the investigation.
The story first came to light in July 2016, when the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office announced it had arrested the five for holding the victim against her will. The details about the investigation were only recently revealed in the federal indictment.
Investigators said the victim, whose identify was not fully revealed, was a relative of Raylaine Knope and came under her care in August 2015, when the victim's mother died.
According to court documents, the abuse happened at a home on Rushing Lane in Amite. The victim is diagnosed with disabilities, including autism, officials said.
Raylaine Knope is accused of directing most of the abuse, while Terry Knope become the representative payee of the victim's Supplemental Security Income benefits, which are provided to people who are disabled and have little to no income.
Terry Knope became the beneficiary of the victim's benefits soon after her mother died.
According to federal investigators, some of the crimes the five conspired to included threatening the victim with force, causing her harm and making her work against her will.
The indictment goes into detail about the allegations against the suspects, specifically identifying Terry Knope, Raylaine Knope, Jody Lambert and Taylor Knope for making the victim perform house and yard work for the family.
"The plan of the conspiracy was for the co-conspirators to subject (the victim) to physical violence, threats of physical violence, psychological and verbal abuse, abuse of legal process and psychological manipulation to obtain uncompensated labor and services from (the victim)," officials alleged in the indictment.
Federal investigators said the victim was initially allowed to sleep inside the family's mobile home on a mattress on the floor, but then Raylaine Knope ordered her to sleep in a tent outside in the backyard.
The tent was locked at the zipper and Raylaine Knope ordered her relatives to secure the victim inside at night so she would not escape, officials said.
The victim slept in the tent until she tried to escape, officials said. Raylaine Knope allegedly threatened to kill the woman if she ever tried to escape again.
Soon after, the tent the victim slept in was moved into a shed with a padlock, the court documents describe. That was until Raylaine Knope allegedly told Terry Knope and Jody Lambert to build a cage for the woman, which was made of chicken wire and covered with a plastic tarp and tree branches, officials said.
Court documents allege the victim was required to live in the cage when she wasn't working for the family. Some of the work she was required to do was clean the trailer with a toothbrush, cut the grass with scissors and clean the septic system without gloves, tools or protective clothing, officials said.
Raylaine Knope is accused of withholding food from the victim if she did not complete her work or did not do it fast enough, the documents allege.
Investigators said some of the harm done to the victim included Terry Knope smashing her hand with a hammer, shooting her with a BB gun and burning her hand with a lighter, when Bridget Lambert is accused of holding the victim's hand in place.
During one instance of abuse, the investigators said they learned Raylaine Knope ordered the victim to open her mother's urn, pour the ashes into a bowl and eat them with a spoon as Raylaine Knope, Terry Knope, Jody Lambert and Taylor Knope watched.
The victim was also ordered to take off her clothes and make sexual advances to men who came to the mobile home, including a repairman and a family friend, officials said.
Investigators said Raylaine Knope and Terry Knope forced the victim to use meth and prescription painkillers and threatened to turn her in to police for using drugs if the victim did not obey their orders.
The abuse continued until June 2016, investigators said.
Federal officials said the forced labor, forced labor conspiracy and Fair Housing Act charges against Raylaine Knope, Terry Knope, Jody Lambert and Taylor Knope carry a statutory maximum penalty of life imprisonment. The four also face prison time for sex trafficking and theft of government funds if convicted.
Bridget Lambert could serve at least five years in prison on her charges if convicted, officials said.
Officials said the case was investigated by the FBI in New Orleans.
The indictments accuse five family members of abusing their 22-year-old relative until June 2016, according to court documents released by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
Raylaine Knope, Terry J. Knope II, Jody Lambert, Taylor Knope and Bridget Lambert were identified Thursday in the indictment. Bridget Lambert was charged separately in the investigation.
The story first came to light in July 2016, when the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office announced it had arrested the five for holding the victim against her will. The details about the investigation were only recently revealed in the federal indictment.
Investigators said the victim, whose identify was not fully revealed, was a relative of Raylaine Knope and came under her care in August 2015, when the victim's mother died.
According to court documents, the abuse happened at a home on Rushing Lane in Amite. The victim is diagnosed with disabilities, including autism, officials said.
Raylaine Knope is accused of directing most of the abuse, while Terry Knope become the representative payee of the victim's Supplemental Security Income benefits, which are provided to people who are disabled and have little to no income.
Terry Knope became the beneficiary of the victim's benefits soon after her mother died.
According to federal investigators, some of the crimes the five conspired to included threatening the victim with force, causing her harm and making her work against her will.
The indictment goes into detail about the allegations against the suspects, specifically identifying Terry Knope, Raylaine Knope, Jody Lambert and Taylor Knope for making the victim perform house and yard work for the family.
"The plan of the conspiracy was for the co-conspirators to subject (the victim) to physical violence, threats of physical violence, psychological and verbal abuse, abuse of legal process and psychological manipulation to obtain uncompensated labor and services from (the victim)," officials alleged in the indictment.
Federal investigators said the victim was initially allowed to sleep inside the family's mobile home on a mattress on the floor, but then Raylaine Knope ordered her to sleep in a tent outside in the backyard.
The tent was locked at the zipper and Raylaine Knope ordered her relatives to secure the victim inside at night so she would not escape, officials said.
The victim slept in the tent until she tried to escape, officials said. Raylaine Knope allegedly threatened to kill the woman if she ever tried to escape again.
Soon after, the tent the victim slept in was moved into a shed with a padlock, the court documents describe. That was until Raylaine Knope allegedly told Terry Knope and Jody Lambert to build a cage for the woman, which was made of chicken wire and covered with a plastic tarp and tree branches, officials said.
Court documents allege the victim was required to live in the cage when she wasn't working for the family. Some of the work she was required to do was clean the trailer with a toothbrush, cut the grass with scissors and clean the septic system without gloves, tools or protective clothing, officials said.
Raylaine Knope is accused of withholding food from the victim if she did not complete her work or did not do it fast enough, the documents allege.
Investigators said some of the harm done to the victim included Terry Knope smashing her hand with a hammer, shooting her with a BB gun and burning her hand with a lighter, when Bridget Lambert is accused of holding the victim's hand in place.
During one instance of abuse, the investigators said they learned Raylaine Knope ordered the victim to open her mother's urn, pour the ashes into a bowl and eat them with a spoon as Raylaine Knope, Terry Knope, Jody Lambert and Taylor Knope watched.
The victim was also ordered to take off her clothes and make sexual advances to men who came to the mobile home, including a repairman and a family friend, officials said.
Investigators said Raylaine Knope and Terry Knope forced the victim to use meth and prescription painkillers and threatened to turn her in to police for using drugs if the victim did not obey their orders.
The abuse continued until June 2016, investigators said.
Federal officials said the forced labor, forced labor conspiracy and Fair Housing Act charges against Raylaine Knope, Terry Knope, Jody Lambert and Taylor Knope carry a statutory maximum penalty of life imprisonment. The four also face prison time for sex trafficking and theft of government funds if convicted.
Bridget Lambert could serve at least five years in prison on her charges if convicted, officials said.
Officials said the case was investigated by the FBI in New Orleans.
