Brother of starved teen Sabrina Ray reaches plea deal with prosecutors

STEPHEN GRUBER-MILLER   | The Des Moines Register

The brother of Perry teenager Sabrina Ray, who died of abuse and starvation in May, has reached a plea deal with prosecutors.

Sabrina, 16, was found unresponsive on May 12 at the home of her foster parents in Perry.

Her adoptive brother, Justin Dale Ray, 22, faces two counts of child endangerment and two counts of willful injury. Police say he "drop-kicked" Sabrina down a basement staircase, causing her serious injury that prevented her from walking, talking or eating or drinking normally afterward. He is also accused of kicking Sabrina in the chin causing a bleeding cut and bruising.

Court documents show he will appear in Dallas County District Court on Friday to enter a guilty plea, although the documents do not specify what he will plead to.

Sabrina's adoptive parents, Marc Alan Ray, 41, and Misty Jo Bousman-Ray, 40, face multiple felonies connected with Sabrina's abuse and death, including first-degree murder, kidnapping, and multiple counts of child endangerment. A trial date has not been set.

The husband and wife, who ran a day care center, took in Sabrina as a foster child in 2011 and adopted her in 2013.

Sabrina's adoptive grandmother, Carla Bousman, 62, is charged with first-degree kidnapping, child endangerment causing death and obstructing prosecution or defense. Police say she assisted in kidnapping and torturing Sabrina, who was disabled, and two other adopted girls in the home, and in helping cover up Sabrina's death.

The trial of Josie Raye Bousman, 20, Sabrina's cousin, who is accused of three counts of kidnapping, child endangerment causing death, and obstructing prosecution is scheduled for March 26.

The abuse allegations surrounding Ray were made public months after those involving Natalie Finn, who starved to death in West Des Moines, and Malayia Knapp, who fled an abusive home in Urbandale in late 2015.