Note: Throughout the following direct quotes from various sources will be presented in Bold.
Commentary of the Editors of Bubbaworld will appear in Italic.

Child Discipline - Okie Style

Never let it be said that in Oklahoma we spare the rod and spoil the child.

Unfortunately some Okies get a bit carried away and resort to methods of child discipline which not only constitute child abuse but descend into the realm of brutal torture.

Such is the case of Denise Renae Elrod and Jimmy Don Elrod formerly of Pryor, Oklahoma. I'm compelled to write "formerly of Pryor, Oklahoma" owing to the fact that the Elrods are going to be long term guests of the State of Oklahoma, due to their methods of "child discipline".

The case involving the Elrods and fellow Pryor, Oklahoma resident Robert Wayne Crane came to light with a Tulsa World report titled, "$200,000 bail set for man, couple". This report was dated 9/13/2001 and is quoted in part here:

A rural Pryor man, along with a couple who shared his house, are each being held in lieu of $200,000 bail for routinely tying up an 8-year-old boy at bedtime and at one point piercing his penis with a hog ring, authorities said.

The Elrods lived in a small, two-bedroom house west of Pryor with Crane, who owns the house.

Deputies said Denise Elrod told them that the boy was tied up at night to stop him from masturbating; the hog ring was applied for the same reason.

According to a search warrant affidavit, the boy, who had rope burns on his wrists, said he "was tied up at night (on his back) to a black storage box, with his hands elevated above his head then wrapped in a sheet and sweat shirt so that he couldn't get up and go to the bathroom, and he had accidents on the floor."

The report went on to reveal that the adopted boy and his 9 year old sister had been placed in protective custody and that deputies were also concerned with how to care for a wide variety of animals including chickens, calves, goats, hogs and at least 40 dogs that were living in cramped cages in the half-acre front yard of the Crane property.

The report further stated:

Further investigation also revealed that "within the last few months a hog ring was attached to (the boy's) penis causing piercing of the skin," the affidavit said. That was also confirmed by the doctor at the Justice Center who examined the boy, authorities said.

The affidavit goes on to note that Denise Elrod saw the hog ring on the boy about six months ago and "that it was left on for about a week." She said Crane or possibly her husband attached the hog ring, according to the affidavit.

On 8/5/02, Jimmy Don Elrod and Denise Renae Elrod pleaded guilty to one count of injury to a minor child and one count of lewd molestation. District Judge James Goodpaster sentenced the couple to 20 years on both counts with the sentences to run concurrently. They each must serve 85 percent of their sentence before being eligible for parole.

On 9/17/02, Robert Wayne Crane pleaded guilty to one count of injury to a minor child and one count of lewd molestation. On 11/14/02 he was sentenced to 24 years on each charge with the sentences to run concurrently. Crane was ordered to complete a sex offender treatment program in prison and to register as a sex offender upon his eventual release. He too must serve 85 percent of his sentence before being eligible for parole.

The official court record on Denise Renae Elrod is Available Here

The official court record on Jimmy Don Elrod is Available Here

The official court record on Robert Wayne Crane is Available Here

While we here at Bubbaworld are NOT child behavior experts even we realize that to tie a kid up and put a hog ring through is penis is NOT a recommended, smart or legal means to stop an 8 year old from "playing with himself". We can't help but wonder why the Elrods and Mr. Crane could not grasp this simple fact. In any case we are thankful that they will have plenty of time to contemplate the error of their ways.

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