Fate of Cudahy parents accused of abusing 15-year-old girl now rests with jury



MILWAUKEE COUNTY -- The Cudahy couple charged in connection with an alleged child torture case are now waiting for jurors to bring back a verdict. This, after closing arguments in the case against Kevin Boon-Bey and Felicia Boon wrapped up on Tuesday afternoon, July 30.

Kevin Boon-Bey and Felicia Boon each face the following charges:


    The jury in this case must decide whether the father and stepmother on trial together are each guilty of starving, imprisoning, and causing both physical and mental harm to their 15-year-old daughter.

    Kevin Boon-Bey, Felicia Boon



    Police were called to the Cudahy home of Kevin Boon-Bey and Felicia Boon on Dec. 5, 2018. Prosecutors said Boon-Bey did not tell officers at the time that the victim was there.

    "Why would he not want her to be seen by law enforcement? Because her body told a story of how she's being systematically and repeatedly abused," said Matthew Torbenson, prosecutor.



    Doctors testified an exam showed the victim was suffering from severe malnutrition and covered in injuries.

    "She talked about being beaten with a curtain rod," Torbenson said.

    The victim told jurors that her parents had locked her in her room for the previous four months without food or access to a bathroom. As a result, the victim said she had no option but to soil herself.

    Felicia Boon



    Felicia Boon's son admitted to police he and his siblings were then instructed to discipline his stepsister.

    "He said time, and time, and time again, he acted on the charge of his parents," Torbenson said.

    The defendants testified they never saw, heard, or condoned any physical violence among the children.

    "Children who wait for parents to leave and then do something wrong do not have the approval of their parents," said William Sulton, Felicia Boon's attorney.

    Kevin Boon-Bey



    Representing himself in the trial, Kevin Boon-Bey said his daughter's allegations of neglect and imprisonment were the result of a mental health breakdown.

    "My daughter had created and orchestrated a delusion where she is the victim, just like Cinderella has of her parents and evil siblings," Boon-Bey told the jury.

    Prosecutors said police also found physical evidence supporting the victim's statements -- including dozens of zip ties and a metal pipe at the house. Also, there was no sign of clothing or a bed in the victim's room.