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Foster Desperation
October 20, 2009 permalink
Oklahoma foster girls Ashley Jewel and Kelsey Beams wanted to get out of foster care so much they tried to kill their foster parents, Robert and Barbara Parker.
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Police: Foster Children Plotted to Kill Foster Parents
Updated: Monday, October 19, 2009 11:34 PM EST, By Kirsten McIntyre, NEWS 9
WOODWARD, Oklahoma -- Two foster parents were attacked by their foster children, and the father said he’s lucky to be alive.
Investigators say the girls, 16-year-old Ashley Jewel and 15-year-old Kelsey Beams, plotted to kill their foster parents.
Robert and Barbara Parker have been foster parents for DHS for four years. The two teens are among the many children they’ve taken into their care. Ashley has been the Parker’s foster child for two years while Kelsey was in their care for two months.
Robert Parker is a pastor. His family was in the process of resigning from his church in Henrietta and moving back to Woodward. He planned to start a street ministry in the area.
The Parkers had come to Woodward to work on house that they own. While staying the night, Robert woke up around 1 a.m. saying he heard a bang and saw a flash. It took a few seconds before Robert and Barbara Parker realized he’d been shot.
Police say the two girls wanted to kill the couple because they wanted to be free from DHS custody.
Police think Kelsey was mastermind and manipulated Ashley into shooting Robert Parker. According to the police report, Ashley fired a shot at Robert Parker. The gun jammed when she tried to shoot her foster mother Barbara.
Police said Kelsey had a second gun, but it had the wrong bullets in it so it never would have worked.
The bullet hit Robert in the rib. It’s still lodged in his chest and doctor’s say it shouldn’t cause any issues.
Because of the circumstances surrounding the incident and where the bullet hit, Robert and Barbara Parker believe it’s a miracle he’s alive.
The girls will be charged as youthful offenders, among their charges is shooting with intent to kill.
Source: KWTV Oklahoma City
