A Florida couple is facing child neglect charges after allegedly keeping four children confined inside the cab of a tractor-trailer for almost six years. Keisha Epps, 51, and Tamra Marshon Stewart, 37, are accused of denying the children adequate care, including opportunities to shower, use the restroom, or exercise outside.
According to arrest records, the children stated they had not been allowed to attend school for approximately five years. Epps, a truck driver, and Stewart lived in the cab with the children while Epps commuted between Miami and Atlanta. Since December 2019, the children were reportedly inside the vehicle for the majority of their days.
Investigators reported that the children exhibited an "unnatural gait" due to their confinement and were "fed poorly." The report also indicates that the children never received medical or dental care, even for emergencies. One child recounted an incident where she sustained a significant burn from cooked noodles, a severe injury for which she did not receive medical treatment, resulting in a permanent scar.
Stewart, who reportedly supervised the children when Epps was sleeping, showering, or driving, is also accused of physical abuse. The children told interviewers that Stewart allegedly beat them by punching them in the head when they confronted him about witnessing sexual abuse. The identity of the alleged victim of sexual abuse was not specified in the report. The children also told investigators they saw Epps witness the abuse, after which she allegedly used derogatory names and left them alone with Stewart.
One of the four children was found to have an untreated sexually transmitted infection. All four children shared a bunk in the cab that was reportedly too small to sleep in without being curled up side by side.
Epps and Stewart were arrested on August 6, 2026, and charged with four counts of child neglect, one for each child. Each count is a third-degree felony, punishable by up to five years in prison, probation, and fines. Investigators stated their actions constituted a "committed, willful failure or omission to provide a child with the care, supervision, and services necessary to maintain the child’s physical and mental health." Capital sexual battery charges are expected to be filed against Stewart in the 9th Judicial District by the Statewide Prosecutor. Under Florida law, convictions for sexual battery of a child younger than 12 can carry penalties of the death penalty or life in prison without parole.
All identifying information about the children, including their ages and sexes, was redacted from the court reports. Epps and Stewart are being held in the Duval County Jail awaiting trial. Epps's bond was set at $400,012, while Stewart is being held without bond.