An Oklahoma pastor and his wife have been arrested on suspicion of abusing at least eight children.
Blackwell authorities said Keith and Candy Holt were arrested after the children were beaten with boards and locked in a bathroom for several days without water. fox 25 report.
Earlier this month, the Blackwell Police Department received a call from the state Department of Human Services concerned that several children were being left home alone. Authorities also received calls from several other people expressing concerns about what happened inside the home.
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Police said they went to the home on January 14, but the Holts refused to go inside.
Keith and Candy Holt are accused of abusing the children inside their home and locking them in the bathroom. (Blackwell Police Department)
When DHS officials arrived the next day to check on the children, no one came to the door, news reports said. Officers were allowed inside on Tuesday and found enough evidence to make an arrest on suspicion of child abuse, the report said.
Officers believe the couple beat the children with wooden planks, sometimes up to 40 times in each blow. He is also accused of locking the children in a bathroom for several days and denying them food or water as punishment. The children were taken into protective custody.
Officers said the suspect, Keith Holt, identified himself as the lead pastor of House of Prayer Church. However, the church rejected this claim in a Facebook post.
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“The articles online about the senior pastors of House of Prayer are not true. John and Nellie Jack are the senior pastors,” the post said. “We do not tolerate child abuse in any form. Please pray for our church.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to the church.
Keith Holt was arrested on charges of child abuse, kidnapping and child neglect, and Candy Holt was arrested on charges of condoning child abuse, kidnapping and child neglect.
