Three-year-old Xoey Glenn was beaten and tortured by her mother, Tiarra Glenn (28), and her mother's boyfriend, Devan Loventa Allen (29), at their apartment in Gary, Indiana on April 12, 2022. The child was punished for not eating her food by being struck with a belt, forced to stand spread-eagled against a wall in an "X" position, having her hands tied behind her back, and being blindfolded with a black scarf covering her eyes, nose, and mouth. Allen took the child into a closet and struck her multiple times until she collapsed. After the child became limp and was gasping for air, the couple spent approximately 20 minutes cleaning the apartment and changing her clothes before Glenn Googled "hyperventilation" and called 911. Xoey was transported to Comer Children's Hospital in Chicago, where doctors found traumatic brain injury, brain swelling, acute hemorrhages, and bruising covering her body from head to toe. She died on April 15, 2022. Both Allen and Glenn were charged with murder and multiple other felony counts in Lake County, Indiana.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
The CBS article reports Glenn "hit the little girl with a belt at least six times" and that "Allen also hit the little girl." Allen "took the little girl back in the closet and struck her several more times before the girl collapsed." The medical examiner report lists cause of death as "MULTIPLE BLUNT FORCE INJURIES. CHILD ABUSE." The ABC7 article reports the child had been "beaten and abused based on the bruising which covered her body from head to toe." The Southern article describes belt marks on legs, thighs, and buttocks, a bite mark on the child's abdomen, and bruising in the shape of three fingers on her chest.
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Multiple sources describe prolonged, deliberately cruel treatment amounting to torture. The CBS article reports the 5-year-old sister told police that Allen "often forced the girl to stand in the corner and 'make an X with her body against the wall.'" The CBS article also states Allen "tied her hands together behind her back, and covered her face with a black scarf" and "took the little girl back in the closet and struck her several more times." The ABC7 article states Glenn "allowed her boyfriend to discipline Xoey with blindfolded beatings and cruel punishments." The Southern article describes Allen tying the girl's hands, retying them after she broke free, forcing her into the bathroom with the lights off and door closed, and blindfolding her with a scarf covering her eyes, nose, and mouth. The pattern of restraint, confinement, blindfolding, and forced stress positions clearly constitutes torture and deliberately cruel treatment.
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
Tiarra Glenn is identified as the biological mother throughout the documents. The CBS article states: "Her mom, 28-year-old Tiarra Glenn, told police that her 3-year-old was 'crying hysterically.'" Glenn admitted she "hit the little girl with a belt at least six times" and was charged alongside Allen. The ABC7 article reports Glenn "allowed her boyfriend to discipline Xoey with blindfolded beatings and cruel punishments."
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Devan Loventa Allen is identified as the mother's boyfriend. The CBS article describes him as "her mom's 29-year-old boyfriend, Devan Loventa Allen." He is described as having beaten and tortured the child — tying her hands, covering her face, forcing her into a closet, and striking her multiple times. Both Allen and Glenn were charged with murder.
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
Both adults were charged and arrested. The CBS article states: "Both Allen and Glenn were charged with eight felony counts and are being held in the Lake County, Indiana Jail." The ABC7 article specifies charges including "murder, battery with serious bodily injury to a person under 14, neglect of a dependent resulting in serious injury." The Southern article confirms "Tiarra Glenn was arrested Thursday, and Allen was taken into custody overnight Friday in Lynwood."
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Notable Details
Several notable details emerge from the documents. First, Glenn and Allen engaged in evidence tampering: the CBS article states that after the child collapsed, "Twenty minutes passed, and Glenn said she Googled 'hyperventilation' and then finally called 911." The Southern article elaborates that the couple "changed the girl's clothes, washed her up, cleaned the apartment and after 20 minutes passed, Glenn did a Google search of hyperventilation. The internet directed that she should call 911, so she called for an ambulance." Second, the ABC7 article reports Glenn stated she "is pregnant and has a medical condition and she could not hit the girl hard enough," suggesting she deliberately outsourced the more severe physical abuse to Allen. Third, the CBS article notes that reporters asked about prior DCS involvement but "the Indiana DCS told us confidentiality laws prohibit them from commenting on any involvement with a family," leaving open the question of whether warning signs were previously reported. Finally, the 5-year-old sister served as a key witness, describing the pattern of abuse to investigators.
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