Investigators Suspect 3rd Abuse Victim Buried in Desert

Investigators said Tuesday that a third victim of suspected child abuse may be buried near the San Bernardino County desert home where deputies on Saturday found two malnourished boys who said their parents had kept them in chains.

The 12- and 17-year-old brothers were discovered with chain marks on their wrists and dog chains attached to bedposts at a mobile home in an area known as Wonder Valley, east of Twentynine Palms.

Now, investigators say they have learned from neighbors that there was a middle brother, who died 10 years ago at age 6. Detectives also have located a possible grave site, about 20 miles northeast of the home, and were to begin searching the site for remains this morning.

“The information we have is imprecise,” San Bernardino County sheriff’s spokesman Chip Patterson said. “The first thing we want to do is figure out whether we have any human remains.”

Three of the boys’ relatives--an aunt, Faye Potts, and their parents, 41-year-old Carrie Davis and 52-year-old John Davis--have been arrested on suspicion of child abuse and torture, Patterson said. They were each jailed in lieu of $2 million bail, pending a Wednesday arraignment.

The brothers were discovered when the older boy called 911. Potts called the station a short time later to report that their call was a hoax. Deputies went to the home anyway.

Investigators said that in a house surrounded with signs reading “God’s Country,” “Spirit of God,” and “Jesus,” the boys were fed only bread and rice and had been allowed to speak only by reading out of the Bible.

Sheriff’s Cpl. Steve Spear said investigators are still looking into whether the family was affiliated with any church or religious group.

The boys are in the custody of county social workers. Investigators reported Tuesday that they suffered “severe medical, mental and dental neglect, severe physical and emotional abuse and severe malnutrition and educational neglect.”