An Anson couple was accused of child abuse and their eight children were placed with Children’s Protective Services this week.
Michael Stamper was arrested on Monday and held as of Wednesday in the Jones County Jail on a $100,000 bond for an Injury to a Child. His wife, Tonia Stamper, was arrested Wednesday on seven counts of Endangering a Child after police verified an anonymous tip that she had left her children home alone for more than 24 hours.
Court documents said Stamper’s 7-year-old son arrived at summer school with a bruise on his eye Monday morning.
Documents said the boy implicated his father and told detectives that, “His dad said he had to say he was rough housing because he didn’t want them to get taken away and put back in the system.”
Anson Police Chief David Moore said police have responded to the Stamper home multiple times for child neglect and narcotics calls.
KTAB TV in Abilene said on its Facebook page that the eight children “lived in deplorable conditions.” An image with the post showed a house that was in disarray.
Chief Moore accused CPS of initially failing to act in the case. According to Moore, CPS said there was not enough evidence to proceed. CPS refused to comment on the specifics of the case.
Anson is more than 20 miles north of Abilene.
(Information from bigcountryhomepage.com)
