Bond continued in rape and abuse case

Fairview Republican

Three members of a Major County family made a brief appearance in court last Thursday on felony counts of child abuse and rape by instrumentation, allegedly committed against one of the family's five adopted daughters.

On Oct. 1st the Major County district attorney's office filed one felony count of child abuse each against Penny Sue Tyler and Ardee Tyler, the girls adopted parents.

One felony count of rape by instrumentation was filed against Ashton Malachi Tyler, the Tylers 18-year-old son.

The state's case against the Tylers involves only the second-oldest of the couples's five adopted daughters, all of whom were adopted from an orphanage in Libria in 2005.

The state's charges contend that, between January and October of 2007, Penny Sue and Ardee Tyler disciplined their adopted daughter with methods that included tying her to her bed overnight, tying her to a post overnight, and forcing her to sleep outside in the cold weather.

In a separate charge the couple's son, Ashton Malachi Tyler, is accused of sexually assaulting his then nine-year-old adopted sister on one instance in 2005.

According to the state's affidavit, Ardee Tyler and Ashton Tyler each provided the state with written admissions of the alleged offenses.

The Tylers have pleaded not guilty to the felony charges, and the four adopted girls not involved in this case remain in the Tyler household west of Fairview.

The adopted daughter involved in the felony allegations has since moved to the home of Penny Sue Tyler's cousin, Barbara Thomas-Johnson of Highland, Ill.

Last Thursday's felony docket included a brief bond appearance for the Tylers, in which the state agreed to continue bond in the case pending the trio's next court appearance.

he Tylers are scheduled for their next court appearance in this matter at 9:30 a.m. on Dec. 11th in the Major County Courthouse.