Investigators say locks on cabinets and bedroom doors kept children from food and contact.
ST. CHARLES, Mo. — A St. Charles County couple was arrested this week after police said they starved and confined children inside their home, locking doors and restricting access to food during a months-long investigation that culminated with criminal charges and the removal of the minors.
Authorities said the case matters now because it follows weeks of interviews, medical exams and home checks that documented malnourished children and hardware used to control food. The couple — identified by police as Amberly K. Britton and Mark A. Myers — is being held while prosecutors review additional counts beyond initial child endangerment allegations. Detectives said they traced a pattern of coercion that included locks installed on doors and cabinets and strict rules that left children responsible for caring for younger kids without regular meals.
According to police, patrol officers and detectives first visited the property in early fall after a welfare concern. Initial checks found sparse food and padlocked storage. Follow-up visits recorded similar conditions, investigators said, and prompted forensic interviews with the children. In those sessions, the minors described going to bed hungry and being told to avoid the kitchen without permission. A detective wrote in a probable cause statement that locks were placed on interior doors and pantry cabinets, and that older children were ordered to watch toddlers. “These are allegations of prolonged deprivation,” Police Chief statements said in brief remarks, adding that evidence had to be documented across several weeks before arrests were made.
Medical evaluations, police said, showed weight deficits and other signs consistent with limited nutrition. The children told investigators they were punished for taking food and were instructed not to speak to visitors. Technicians photographed door hardware and empty shelves during home checks, according to the statements. Britton and Myers were taken into custody after detectives executed a search and seized items they say support the case, including locking devices and written rules posted inside the home. Jail records list preliminary child endangerment counts; a separate drug-related allegation was also noted in charging paperwork. Prosecutors have not publicly detailed the total number of counts, and authorities did not release the children’s ages, citing privacy.
Neighbors said police had been to the address more than once in recent weeks, and a nearby resident described seeing officers remove children from the home. The county’s child welfare agency placed the minors in protective care pending court oversight. Records show investigators sought guidance from pediatric specialists who frequently consult on neglect cases. Officials emphasized that the alleged conditions were discovered over time rather than in a single visit, which they said explains the gap between the first call and the arrests.
The case arrives in a region still sensitive to high-profile child abuse prosecutions elsewhere in Missouri. Local advocates say prolonged food deprivation is a known red flag and often coincides with isolation inside the home. Police said they are examining prior contacts with the family, including any earlier welfare checks, and are reviewing school attendance and medical appointment history to determine whether warning signs were missed. Detectives said they are also comparing the alleged use of door and cabinet locks to other investigations where food access was controlled.
Both suspects were booked into the St. Charles County jail. An initial court appearance is expected early next week, when a judge will set bond and schedule further hearings. Police said additional interviews and lab reviews are underway, and that a full case file will be delivered to prosecutors for potential added counts. Child welfare officials will present an updated status report to a family court judge, who will decide placement and visitation conditions. Authorities said they expect to release the next public update after the bond hearing.
On Thursday afternoon, the home sat quiet, a porch light on and a notice taped to the front door. A neighbor who asked to be identified by first name said officers “kept coming back, and then one day they stayed,” while another resident described seeing investigators carry out large evidence bags. “We don’t want to miss anything,” a detective said outside the scene. “The priority is making sure the kids get care.”
As of Friday, both adults remained in custody pending their first appearance. Investigators said the next milestone is a bond hearing early next week, followed by filings that outline the full set of charges.
Author note: Last updated December 5, 2025.