Two individuals have been charged after a child allegedly told authorities that he was locked in a dog kennel for misbehaving and beaten with a metal pole. The Knox County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call on Tuesday morning about two young children walking near the 3000 block of Clear Springs Road, approximately at 7:23 a.m. The children, both around six years old, were walking along the road without an adult.
Deputies who arrived at the scene confirmed the children lived with 27-year-old Jason Hoffer and 28-year-old Amber Hoffer at a nearby residence. According to warrants obtained by WVLT News, one of the children had severe bruising on his leg, and both children mentioned they had not eaten and were hungry.
When deputies arrived at the Hoffer home, they found the living conditions to be “deplorable” and “uninhabitable.” The investigation revealed that seven children, aged one month to seven years, were living in the house. The floors were covered with trash, and feces were smeared on the walls and in the bathroom sink. Moreover, there was no running water in the home.
The children were transported to East Tennessee Children’s Hospital for medical evaluation. While there, the Department of Children’s Services (DCS) and deputies spoke to the children, and one revealed a disturbing account of abuse.
The child told authorities that Jason would lock him in a “cage” in the living room when he misbehaved and padlock it shut. The child further alleged that Jason would hit him with a metal pole through the bars of the cage. Authorities reported that the child had “severe welts” on his hip and bruises on his buttocks and shoulders, which appeared to be the result of an assault.
The child stated that he managed to escape the cage that morning and urged another child to leave the home with him. The two children were later found near the road. Upon returning to the home, authorities located the metal dog kennel, but there were no pets present in or around the house.
Jason Hoffer was charged with one count of child endangerment and one count of aggravated child abuse (under Haley’s Law), while Amber Hoffer was charged with two counts of child endangerment. Both are being held at the Roger D. Wilson Detention Facility. DCS has removed all seven children from the home, and the investigation remains active and ongoing.