BENTONVILLE -- A teen stuck to his claim Monday his parents forced him and his siblings to remain in a bedroom as defense attorneys pointed out inconsistencies in his story.
The 16-year-old boy was on the witness stand for a second time Monday in the trial of James and Janefer Ogborn of Bella Vista. They face felony charges in connection with allegations they starved and imprisoned three of their children.
The teen said Friday he and his two siblings were confined to a bedroom, forced to sleep on the floor and were monitored by cameras. The teen also told jurors the three were forced to stand in one spot for long periods as punishment.
The Ogborns were arrested after the boy, then 15, called 911 on Aug. 9, 2013. The three children were removed from the home by Arkansas Department of Human Services. The teen said Friday he and his two siblings lived with the Ogborns, along with five other children.
Defense attorneys had their first chance to question the boy Monday.
Mike Armstrong, one of James Ogborn's attorneys, questioned the teen about his arrest in January 2014.
The teen admitted he crawled through a window of a city building in Pea Ridge and opened the doors. He was part of a group that stole two trucks, wrecking one and abandoning the other. The teen later pleaded guilty and was placed on juvenile probation.
He told Armstrong the three never had any meals withheld from them and he sometimes ate his brother's and sister's peanut butter sandwiches when they did not want them.
The boy's younger brother, 13-years-old, said he became used to sleeping on the floor with a blanket and pillow.
He said the three were punished for stealing food, going into other rooms and for breaking belongings that belonged to other people.
He said Janefer Ogborn administered most of the punishments. He said she spanked him with a wooden spoon while James Ogborn spanked him on occasions with his hand and with the spoon.
The boy said his older brother did most of the talking with police when they came to the home in response to the 911 call.
The boys' 12 year-old sister also testified.
She told jurors she could leave the room to answer the phone, but her brothers couldn't.
She said she and the two boys were spanked with a spoon, but she didn't know if the other children in the home were spanked.
The girl said she had to eat standing up in the timeout spot in the bedroom.
Testimony before Circuit Judge Brad Karren was to resume Tuesday.
General News on 04/08/2015