SPRINGFIELD — Charges have been filed against three people accused of kidnapping, beating, and starving a woman in Springfield.
News Center 7 was in court Wednesday when Amanda Vance, 32, Tiffany Lyons, 34, and Billy Woolard, 32, pleaded not guilty to charges of kidnapping, abduction, and felonious assault.
Around noon Tuesday, Springfield police were dispatched to the 1500 block of S. Western Avenue on a report of a woman who had shown up at a house saying she had been held captive and beaten over the last three days, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in Clark County Municipal Court.
“She was assaulted repeatedly over a several-day period,” Springfield Police Sergeant James Byron told News Center 7. “She suffered from chemical burns as well from a material they had poured on her.”
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The woman was taken to Springfield Regional Medical Center to be treated for injuries to her face and body, court documents said.
Once at the hospital, the woman told officers that Vance, Lyons, and Woolard were the ones that assaulted her and that she had been staying at a residence with them on Robinson Drive for about two and a half weeks.
She told officers that the three of them began assaulting her after she made a comment to an unknown person about Woolard not letting her leave until she paid $450.
“There was an agreement that they had where she would pay a certain amount of money for rent, so it was possible they believed rent was due even though we have every reason to believe rent was paid,” Byron said. “They were after money from her and did not want to let her go until they received money.”
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According to court documents, the woman reported that all three took turns punching and beating her and didn’t let her leave, eat or drink for three days.
During these three days, she said they continued to beat her, choke her, cut her clothes off, cut her hair, and pour what she thought was bleach on her, court documents said.
Vance allegedly posted a photo on her Facebook story of the woman with her injuries, along with a post that stated “We beat the (brakes) off this b****.”
“This was a violent assault over a long period of time,” Byron told News Center 7. “Her injuries were significant and demonstrated that.”
The woman told police that when Vance left the house and Woolard and Lyons were asleep, she used this as an opportunity to get out of the house and run to get help.
Vance, Lyons, and Woolard were all taken into custody at the house where the alleged crimes occurred and booked in the Clark County Jail. Their bond has been set at $100,000.
News Center 7 will continue updating this story as we learn more.
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