Dorset couple indicted on kidnapping, assault and sexual battery charges
JEFFERSON_ Dorset Township couple David V. Moss and ReJeana Moss were secretly indicted by an Ashtabula County Grand Jury on nine felony charges of kidnapping, felonious assault and endangering children.ac name ReJeana Mossac name David V. Mossmoss
David Moss was also indicted on two second degree felony charges of sexual battery, and three third degree felony charges of gross sexual imposition with a minor.
The incidents are alleged to have occurred between September 1, 2011 and September 12, 2013 at 2530 St. Rt. 307 in Dorset Township where Mr. and Mrs. Moss and the victims resided. Mr. and Mrs. Moss adopted the victims approximately 11 years ago.
The charges stem from claims by two female children and an adult male who is mentally challenged. These individuals allege that the girls and male were locked in their separate bedrooms at the residence virtually all-day every day. The girls shared one bedroom and the adult male had his own bedroom. They further allege that were repeatedly beaten with a paddle by Mr. and Mrs. Moss. The children and male allege that the paddle was used so often and so harshly that it had blood stains on it.
Buckets and a metal container were placed in the bedrooms of the girls and male to use as a bathroom while they were locked in their rooms. The windows of their bedrooms were boarded up, preventing the children from looking outside. One child would carve marks in the headboard of her bed to keep track of the day of the week. The children were provided very little to eat by Mr. and Mrs. Moss during this time.
The minor girls further allege that Mr. Moss committed sexual abuse on each of them. This press release will not detail the extent of the alleged sexual abuse, but the nature of the charges contained in the indictment reflects the seriousness of such abuse.
The children were apparently home-schooled most of the time following their adoption to Mr. and Mrs. Moss, and have not been permitted to socialize outside of the home for the past several years.
This matter was discovered after an August 26, 2013 incident when the two girls were able to pick the lock of their bedroom, snuck away from their parents’ home, took the family vehicle without the parents’ permission, and crashed the vehicle. The girls were extremely apprehensive about notifying Mr. and Mrs. Moss after the Ohio Highway Patrol investigated the accident, indicating that their parents would kill them and that they were afraid of being beaten. After being charged with Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle and placed on probation in Juvenile Court, the girls reported and detailed the alleged abuse for the first time to their probation officer, which led to the involvement and investigation by the Ashtabula County Children Services Board and Ashtabula County Sheriff’s Department.
The children, including another minor male child, and the adult male were removed from the home of Mr. and Mrs. Moss on September 12, 2013 by Children Services, and have been doing very well in foster care since that time.
A search warrant of the Moss’ residence was executed on September 17, 2013 by the Ashtabula County Sheriff’s Department, and several items of substantial evidentiary value that support the claims by the children and adult male were located and taken into custody.
After being secretly indicted on February 25, 2015, Mr. and Mrs. Moss were arrested on February 26, 2015 by the Ashtabula County Sheriff’s Department and are being held at the Ashtabula County Jail pending arraignment before Judge Gary L. Yost.
Kidnapping, a first degree felony, involving A.E.M. (born 1997), a minor
Kidnapping, a first degree felony, involving S.J.M. (born 2000), a minor
Kidnapping, a first degree felony, involving R.D.M (born 1993)
Felonious Assault, a second degree felony, involving A.E.M., a minor
Felonious Assault, a second degree felony, involving A.E.M., a minor
Felonious Assault, a second degree felony, involving R.D.M.
Endangering Children, a third degree felony, involving A.E.M., a minor
Endangering Children, a third degree felony, involving S.J.M., a minor
Endangering Children, a third degree felony, involving R.D.M., a mentally handicapped person under the age of 21 years
In addition, David V. Moss was indicted on the following charges:
Sexual Battery, a second degree felony, involving S.J.M., a minor under the age of 13
Sexual Battery, a third degree felony, involving A.E.M., a minor
Gross Sexual Imposition, a third degree felony, involving S.J.M., a minor
Gross Sexual Imposition, a third degree felony, involving A.E.M., a minor
Gross Sexual Imposition, a third degree felony, involving A.E.M., a minor