Charges filed against family members of teen found starving

CHANDLER, Okla. – Four members of an Oklahoma family have been charged with child neglect after a malnourished 15-year-old boy was found living in a barn and eating sticks, leaves and grass to survive.

Court records indicate charges were filed Monday in Lincoln County against the boy’s father, stepmother and two older brothers. The boy’s father was also charged with child abuse by injury and the stepmother with enabling child abuse by injury.

Randy Bumgarner, an attorney for the stepmother, hasn’t returned a telephone call seeking comment. Court records don’t indicate whether the other family members are represented by an attorney who can speak on their behalf.

Lincoln County authorities say the teen weighed 80 pounds (36 kilograms) when he was discovered July 12 sharing the barn with goats, rabbits and chickens.