A couple has been given several charges with accusations of severe child neglect, with a police officer saying in a statement that it was “one of the worst cases that I have investigated.” The name of the pair is reportedly Amberly Britton and Mark Myers, who confined their three children, and they not only deprived them of food but also compelled them to fend for themselves, which is just one of the many other disturbing allegations of mistreatment.
Police further reported that the children were so malnourished that they were “forced to break locks on cabinets to eat” and also came through physical punishment after “vomiting from severe hunger” alongside other claims of abuse. The pair were quite justifiably charged following a months-long probe that started when one of their children went to school with a serious cut and went on to have medical attention.
⚠️ WARNING: This post describes severe child abuse, starvation, & neglect
Amberly Britton & Mark Myers, of O’Fallon, Missouri, are accused of locking up, beating, & starving their three children in an “uninhabitable,” urine-soaked, & meth-filled home. Authorities were alerted… pic.twitter.com/SFJ2HBRR2t
— True Crime Updates (@TrueCrimeUpdat) December 11, 2025
The parents not only failed to appear at the school but also didn’t pursue prompt treatment for the injury, according to reports. Authorities went on to see their parents’ Missouri home, where they came through dangerous and filthy living conditions, and according to the police, there was “extreme clutter throughout the home, strong odors of urine, no bedding on mattresses, and a large amount of dirty dishes and debris covering surfaces.”
Adding more to that, the kitchen cupboards and refrigerators were fitted with locks that blocked the children’s access to food, according to Law&Crime. Britton and Myers stated that the locks were needed to “control” the children’s eating habits. “During multiple visits, the adults appeared evasive, impaired, or unresponsive and repeatedly claimed to be unable to complete drug testing after investigators received information that methamphetamine was being used inside the residence,” the probable cause statements confirmed.
A mother and father in O’Fallon, Missouri are accused of locking up, beating, and starving their three children in a residence filled with meth and soaked with urine. Amberly Britton and Mark Myers received a visit from police after one of their children showed up to school with pic.twitter.com/e3eMMSRluo
— N’ Cuffs (@NCuffs1) December 9, 2025
“Despite being given an opportunity to clean and correct safety hazards, no meaningful improvements were made.” The children also confirmed that they were “regularly locked” in their bedroom and even sometimes for the entire night. A child even experienced pain and “vomiting from severe hunger, and then being punished after she vomited,” according to police reports.
The probable cause statements allege “the children further reported that they were required to care for themselves and each other, including waking themselves, preparing food, and getting ready for school due to the adults sleeping for extended periods and failing to provide supervision.”
“They described being subjected to physical discipline, including being struck with belts, paddles, and other objects, as well as being grabbed or dragged by the neck.” They also stated, “the windows to their room had been screwed shut to prevent them from leaving when confined. Investigators corroborated these statements and observed locks on all cabinets and refrigerators. Locks were also found on each bedroom door, which required fingerprints to access.”
