James and Mary Mast live in Stover, Missouri, with their three children. Their 4-year-old daughter recently lost her life, purportedly at the hands of their neighbors.
The Mast family reportedly attends the same church as their neighbors, Kourtney Aumen and Ethan Mast. (Ethan is not related to the Mast family.)
Kourtney and Ethan allegedly went to the Mast residence with the belief that Mary was possessed by a demon. They reportedly told the family that the children would suffer the same fate if they did not intervene with unconventional methods.
According to statements given by James and Mary, their neighbors told them that if they tried to stop them from “protecting” the children from demonic possession, they would be shot.
James and Mary’s infant reportedly remained untouched, but the authorities asserted that the 2-year-old boy and his 4-year-old sister suffered horrific abuse. James and Mary were also reportedly physically abused by Kourtney and Ethan. The alleged mistreatment of the family reportedly continued for weeks.
On a night when it was 40 degrees, Aumen and Ethan allegedly dunked the 4-year-old girl into a pond after viciously assaulting her with a belt.
James, Mary, and their 2-year-old also allegedly suffered from physical attacks from Aumen and Ethan that evening.
When the police went to the Mast residence the following day, they said that the deceased young girl was laid out on the floor and wrapped in a blanket, and they could not determine her time of death.
It is believed that she may have frozen to death from the alleged immersion in the icy pond water.
Mary and her younger children were found huddled together in a bedroom inside the home. The woman and her 2-year-old were transferred to the hospital for immediate medical treatment.
Kourtney and Ethan were taken into custody, and they are each facing charges for second-degree murder with additional charges pending.
The authorities determined that James and Mary were complicit in the abuse based on the assertion that they did not try to stop it, despite the reported threats made by the alleged perpetrators.
On December 24, James and Mary were taken into custody.
Mary is facing charges for suspicion of endangering the welfare of a child resulting in death and first-degree domestic assault.
James is expected to face charges for endangering the welfare of a child resulting in death and endangering the welfare of a child resulting in serious physical injury.
They have both been incarcerated with no ordered bond, and the children were placed in the custody of protective services.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a domestic violence offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.