Three individuals in Missouri are charged with child abuse, involving withholding food for up to six days and requiring children to write Bible verses before they could eat.

Ryan Nichols and Dianne Nichols, both 47, face multiple charges of child abuse or neglect, while Maverick Nichols, 22, is accused of sodomy and rape. The investigation started in June 2023, following a girl’s allegations against Maverick Nichols, stating he forced her into sexual acts over several years, according to a probable cause arrest affidavit. She resided at the Nichols household, though her connection to the defendants was not disclosed to safeguard her identity.

She detailed a “restrictive and abusive home environment” where she and other children were confined to their rooms for long periods daily under the watch of Dianne, Ryan, and sometimes Maverick, according to police.

“Surveillance cameras were installed in their rooms, and access to essentials like bathroom breaks was regulated; the children needed to raise their hands and wait for approval, often enduring lengthy waits,” the complaint revealed.

The girl also said she was subjected to “physical beatings and starvation, with the longest period without food lasting six days.”

Another child also experienced daily confinement and “enforced silence,” aided by “white noise machines,” according to police. He was once deprived of bathroom access for such an extended period that he had to escape through a window to relieve himself, the affidavit mentioned.

“He recounted food deprivation and excessive writing tasks as common punishments, and he frequently stood for extended periods to avoid these consequences,” police reported.

Dianne Nichols allegedly required one of the kids to “complete writings, specifically Bible verses, multiple times daily in exchange for meals.”

Cops executed a search warrant on the Nichols home in December 2023. Investigators reportedly found evidence corroborating what the victims alleged, including numerous surveillance cameras and rooms with limited bedding and furniture. A search of the suspects’ cellphones also showed text messages among themselves that spoke of their harsh disciplinary practices, cops said.

After receiving her Miranda warnings, Dianne Nichols denied allegations of mistreatment and said their disciplinary practices were necessary because of the kids’ behavior issues, according to police. She allegedly described the children as “troubled, attributing their behaviors to past trauma.”

The suspects remain in the Jackson County Jail, each on $75,000 bond. They are scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 2.