Foster Parents Accused Of Torturing Child
Foster Parents Accused Of Torturing Child
Documents Say Abuse Acts 'Especially Heinous'
July 10, 2008
Marc Stewart
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Court documents released on Thursday claim that a Clarksville couple tortured at least one of their foster children, and they are accused of abusing others.
Video: Foster Parents Accused Of Child Abuse
Neighbors said Windie and Ernest Perry have fostered several young children over the years, but the couple now face a long list of charges, including eight counts of child abuse and neglect.
The couple immediately drove away when Channel 4 tried to talk to them on Wednesday at their home in Clarksville.
Ernest Perry worked as a police officer and as a security guard at Austin Peay State University for 20 years and also had a long military career at Fort Campbell.
Windie Perry and another woman, Elizabeth Perry, who neighbors said was once a foster child herself, both have been charged with child rape.
Court documents released on Thursday claimed that Ernest and Windie Perry inflicted serious bodily harm on two of their girls over the course of two years.
The court documents said the "acts of abuse were especially heinous, atrocious, cruel and involved torture of the victim."
Several people who live near the couple on R.S. Bradley Boulevard said they always had a funny feeling about what was happening at the Perrys' home.
They said the children, who range in age from 4 to 14 years old, were rarely seen outside.
"It just never seemed right to you?" asked reporter Marc Stewart.
"No, never. It never seemed right. They were in a world of their own. Put it like that," said neighbor Cathy Stevens.
With the concern is coming questions and different accounts about what has been happening at the home.
"I've never seen them raise their voice to the kids," said neighbor Kevin Finch.
Finch said he hasn't seen anything to make him ponder the children's well-being.
"They go to church every Sunday. Throughout the week they go and take the kids to Bible study," said Finch.
The family attends church at First Assembly of God in Clarksville. Church members said the Perrys were regulars at Sunday service and that their children seemed well behaved.
The children have since been placed in state custody. A representative said the Department of Children's Services began investigating the allegations of abuse in March.
A spokeswoman from the Clarksville Police Department acknowledged that the department is handling the case but would not give specifics.
The Perrys served as foster parents for six years. DCS is working with law enforcement to determine if any other children who were in their care may have been abused.
The case is with a grand jury.