Police officer who found Sabrina Ray's body reacts to abuse case in Zearing
The police officer who first found Sabrina Ray's body in 2017 after she died from starvation is speaking out about the similarities between that case and the most recent case of abuse in Zearing.
Josh Sienkiewicz said it is "heartbreaking" to see another case like Ray's happen again in the state. He said there are striking similarities between the two cases.
"First thing that stood out to me was obviously the family aspect," Sienkiewicz said. "You have various family members that are engaged in this activity in this incident."
At the time Sienkiewicz found Ray in her home in Perry, she weighed 56 pounds. Her adoptive parents, Misty Jo Bousman Ray and Marc Ray, were convicted of kidnapping and child endangerment in her death and received lengthy prison sentences. Three other members of the adoptive family have been convicted of crimes related to the girl's abuse.
In Zearing, the Story County Sheriff's Office said four people, including one teenager, have been arrested and charged with first-degree kidnapping and willful injury following an extensive investigation in the abuse of a family member.
According to the sheriff's office, an investigation was launched after an adult man was admitted to an area hospital in January with severe and life-threatening injuries and signs of malnutrition — he weighed only 70 pounds.
"The fact that a young person yet again in this state has been hurt and traumatized for life on an abuse aspect is just very hurtful to see," Sienkiewicz said.
But he said there is hope for survivors. Sienkiewicz is part of a task force that is working with the state to prevent cases of abuse.
The task force was created in November when the state of Iowa reached a settlement with the siblings of Ray for $10 million. Part of the settlement required the Department of Health and Human Services to create a task force.
"We're kind of in uncharted territory," he said. "We've never really had a task force that's convened to actually make significant changes in the state."
He said the governor and the director of Iowa HHS have been very receptive to their ideas. He assured the public that significant changes are coming soon.
Sienkiewicz said it's important to take care of survivors of abuse. He called the survivor in the Zearing case a hero.
"I'm just thankful that this person is alive to tell their story still and that they can be a testimony to others," he said.
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