$500,000 Bond Each Set For Roane Co. Couple Accused Of Starving Children, Skeletal Remains Of One Child Found Near Barn

A judge has set a bond of $500,000 each for a Roane County couple charged with abuse of a corpse and multiple aggravated child abuse, neglect and kidnapping charges. The horrific story began on Friday when two people encountered a young boy in the Ten Mile area of Roane County and called police. WVLT reports that the boy told investigators about a 10 to 11-year-old girl who had been buried in the backyard of his home. She died after being locked in a basement for months for stealing food and was fed nothing but bread and water. Skeletal remains were found near a pole barn and the girl’s father said she died in 2017. Detectives also discovered the eldest child, a 15-year-old boy, confined to an unfinished, partially flooded basement. The boy has been locked up as punishment for stealing food since the summer of 2016, shortly after 63-year-old Michael Anthony Gray and 60-year-old Shirley Gray moved into the Dry Fork Valley Road home. According to WVLT, the Grays moved into the house with their 4 children; a 15-year-old boy, a 14-year-old girl, a 13-year-old girl, and a 10-year-old boy. They are not the biological parents of any of the children. The Grays reportedly withheld food from all the children at times as punishment. All children were signed up for homeschooling and Shirley Gray allegedly completed paperwork stating that all children were currently meeting all their home school assessments, despite the fact that one child was dead and at least two children were locked in the basement. Officials said all the children appeared to be stunted in growth and lacked the necessary education for their age. The Grays have not been charge in the death of their daughter, however, Ninth District Attorney General Russell Johnson says the investigation is ongoing and more charges are likely. If neither Michael or Shirley Gray makes bond their next court hearing will be on June 9.