OKLAHOMA CITY – A 15-year-old Oklahoma boy says his mother and her friend beat him, tied him up and set him on fire over four years simply because they thought he was "stealing" food from her family's kitchen.
LaRhonda McCall and Steve Vern Hamilton have been charged with felony child abuse and have pleaded not guilty. A judge is holding a hearing Wednesday to determine whether they should face trial.
In his unemotional testimony, the boy said he has gained 42 pounds since escaping from the home on Sept. 25. He and six other minors from the home are now in foster care.
At times during the hearing, McCall would shake her head in disagreement.
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