FORREST CITY, Ark. – – A Forrest City, Arkansas man is accused of holding is wife and children hostage in their own home. Brian Gray is charged with a number of things including false imprisonment, domestic battery, and endangering the welfare of a minor.
His wife told police he locked her and the kids in a room with the windows screwed down so they couldn’t escape. She says he threatened to kill her and bury her in the backyard after demanding she lay the kids down.
The incident reportedly happened Tuesday night, hours after officers left the home for the second time that day. They’d gotten a call that Gray was beating her.
“When you see it one time or you see it 20 times it’s always hard to see someone who’s being battered or threatened or held against their will,” Forrest City Police Chief Deon Lee says.
Gray was arrested Wednesday after his wife told investigators what happened.
Police say Gray has threatened his wife before when they were living in a different home. They say he was arrested for that incident as well.
Ashley Flenoy is the couple’s neighbor.
“Well I seen where he was kicking the child in the face and I also seen where he was pushing the girl because she was trying to grab the baby,” Flenoy says.
She says, up until that point, he seemed like a nice guy.
“I’ve seen them outside playing. It’s a family and stuff but it’s crazy how, you know, what I’m seeing him come from playing with children, then also bruising them,” Flenoy says.
Police say a horrible pattern has developed and hope Gray gets help.
“I hope something will break the cycle,” Chief Lee says, “Like I said, they have small kids. There could be something that could affect them.”
If convicted of all charges, Gray could face serious prison time and thousands of dollars in fines.
