October 15, 2026

Two Adults Jailed in Licking County Child Endangerment Case After CPS Finds 9 Children in Horrific Conditions

By The Night Desk

Two adults are in the Licking County Jail on $150,000 bond each after investigators say they found nine children living in horrific conditions in an Etna-area home.

What investigators found

The case began with a referral from an undisclosed school district inside Licking County, investigators said. Court documents describe conditions that CPS and detectives called suspected physical abuse: failure to provide food and water, insufficient living space, and children forced to stand for hours with nails between their toes or locked behind cages and barriers.

Children told investigators they were forced to squat against a wall as punishment, with nails in the floor used as markers for their feet. Investigators said they saw a large folding cage that adults in the home would place over a doorway to keep the children confined to a room.

Court records also describe the home as bug-infested, with inadequate sleeping arrangements and bedding for the children.

The arrests

According to investigators, one of the adults, Coleman, left the home with two children just before detectives arrived to execute the search, but was pulled over soon after. Detectives found Parr in a nearby shed, where investigators said at least four of the children lived with the parents. The remaining five children lived in the mobile home. Some of the children were at school when the home was searched.

All nine children are now in the custody of Child Protective Services.

What comes next

A Licking County judge set bond for Parr and Coleman at $150,000 each; both remained jailed as of the morning of October 15. Authorities said they are determining whether the children's grandmother will face charges, and additional charges for the two adults may follow. Prosecutors plan to present the case to a grand jury to seek an indictment.

Source: The Columbus Dispatch. This is a developing story — we will update as the case proceeds.

Source: The Columbus Dispatch — read the original report