In a shocking case from New Boston, Texas, a man named Cody Blake Barnes, just 32 years old, has been sentenced to an astonishing eight life sentences plus an additional 352 years in prison.
This decision came after a jury found him guilty of 33 serious felonies, including continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14 and multiple counts of aggravated sexual assault against his own children and his wife’s children from a previous relationship.
The trial, which lasted a week, revealed a truly horrific situation for the eight children involved, who were all under the age of eight. They lived in a trailer that was infested with bedbugs and lice, a clear sign of neglect.
School officials and others had raised concerns about the children’s well-being as far back as 2016, but it wasn’t until the children were removed from their parents that the full extent of the abuse came to light.
During the trial, it was revealed that the children had bravely disclosed the abuse they suffered at the hands of their father.
Cody Barnes was accused of threatening them with physical harm if they ever spoke out about what was happening, even going so far as to say he would kill them.
His wife, Brittany Michelle Barnes, who is also facing charges, allegedly knew about the abuse and told the children to keep quiet.
In addition to his lengthy prison sentence, Cody Barnes was hit with a hefty fine of $330,000. He will remain in Bowie County Jail until he is transferred to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Brittany Barnes is set to go on trial soon, on December 17, where she faces several charges related to child injury and endangerment. This case has highlighted the urgent need for child protection and the importance of speaking out against abuse.
