In August CPS contacted Roman Forest Police after they were alerted to a 17-year-old being admitted to Texas Children’s Hospital on August 19, 2018, weighing 62 pounds. Roman Forest Chief Carlisle assigned one of his newest officers, Officer Rippe to the case. Rippe, who has only been an officer since January had assisted in another child case several months back and he was sure she could handle the task. Rippe went to Texas Children’s and met with doctors who informed her that the teen called J.J. who suffered a rare disease which affects only approximately 100 people in the world, had been brought into the hospital by his father Jason Joyner and step-mother Jamie Joiner. Doctors say he was not being cared for properly even though his stepmother had been an LVN. He was covered in bed sores. He had not been changed or repositioned in the bed. He needed stretching but instead of that the parents had taken straps and stretched his legs and tied the straps to the bed for several hours at a time which doctors say is quite painful. Reports from CPS said the parents claimed they had been unable to get Medicare to pick up once they moved to Texas and could no longer afford his medications or formula. Officer Rippe went to the Joyner’s home in Roman Forest and learned that they had been living there since moving from Georgia in June and were staying with a family member. The reason for the move was to get better medical care, however, from June to August 19, when J.J was admitted he was not seen by any medical professional and the only time he had been out of the house in his wheelchair was the day they arrived in Roman Forest and the day he was taken by the parents to the hospital. Rippe learned the parents had also been involved with CPS in Arizona where J.J. was removed from the home to foster care and then to his real mother for a short time. In 2016 his real mother let J.J. got back with his father and step-mother. There were also 2 other siblings in the Roman Forest home who are now being taken care of by family members. They appear well taken care of. J.J. has a feeding tube and had aspirated in Georgia. Doctors then put him on a liquid diet only. He was to be given formula six times a day providing him with 1800 calories. Doctors do not believe he was getting near that and in addition was severely dehydrated. “I have seen this child, he was skin and bones, there is very little left of this child”, Rippe said. J.J. has now been in the hospital 3-weeks and is on a liquid diet. In the 3-weeks he has gained 27 pounds. Rippe said he had a chance of dying due to refeeding syndrome. Rippe completed her report and took it to the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office. A warrant was issued Friday evening on both Joyce and Jason Joyner for Injury to a disabled person, a first-degree felony. Friday evening, they were both arrested and transported to the Montgomery County Jail. Bond was set at $100,000 each.
