Republican Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt announced 102 criminal charges against the owners of a Christian Reform school on Wednesday.
“Today, my Office has filed a total of 102 criminal charges against Boyd and Stephanie Householder, proprietors of the now-defunct Circle of Hope Girls Ranch and Boarding School,” Scmitt said in a statement. “The charges documents allege extensive, and horrific, sexual, physical, and mental abuse perpetrated by the Householders.”
The couple operated the boarding school in Humansville between 2006 and 2020 and were taken into custody on Tuesday evening, according to Schmitt’s statement.
“Missouri attorney general charges Circle of Hope Girls Ranch owners with abuse, child molestation, statutory rape,” via @springfieldNL
–> https://t.co/bwBtdtwgq6 #MOLeg
— Attorney General Eric Schmitt (@AGEricSchmitt) March 11, 2021
Boyd Householder was charged with 79 felony charges and one misdemeanor which include 6 counts of Second Degree Statutory Rape, seven counts of Second Degree Statutory Sodomy, six counts of Sexual Contact with a Student, one count of Second Degree Child Molestation, 56 counts of Abuse or Neglect of a Child and two counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child.
Stephanie Householder faces 22 felony charges including abuse or neglect of a child and endangering the welfare of a child.
In one instance, Boyd Householder “had deviate sexual intercourse” with a victim that was less than 17-years-old multiple times, according to felony information documents. Boyd and the victim again had sex while the victim was still a minor. (RELATED: 230 Minors, 150 Staffers Implicated In Sexual, Physical Abuse Allegations Spanning 6 Decades At State-Run Detention Center)
Charges against Boyd alleged “repeated statutory sodomy, statutory rape, and sexual contact with a student,” Schmitt’s office said.
Another victim was allegedly slammed into the ground multiple times, hit in the arms and physically crushed, according to the documents.
In one instance, Boyd allegedly made a victim drink at least 220 ounces of water and then run until she vomited.
Boyd allegedly used “duct tape” to cover the mouth of another victim, leaving the tape on for “several hours” and then ripping it off.
Stephanie Householder allegedly put minors into “restraints” and then physically assaulted multiple victims.
The case first came to Schmitt’s attention in mid-November when the Cedar County Prosecutor’s Office asked the Attorney General’s office to assist in the case.
Twenty-four girls were removed from the ranch by Child Protective Services in August, according to Fox 4.