Man accused of circumcising own children

Fox 11 Arizona - February 7, 2008

By MARIO ROLDAN


GASTONIA, N.C. -- He’s locked at the Gaston County jail for beating his wife, lying to police and leaving his 11 kids home alone. Now the self-admitted polygamist father faces allegations that he used a utility knife to circumcise two of his sons.

Investigators in Caldwell County plan to serve Johnny Marlowe, 32, felony child abuse warrants. The alleged circumcisions occurred in 2005 and 2006 when Marlowe lived in Lenoir.

“We've picked up some more info, which will help us lead further into our investigation, (information) that we didn't know before,” said Sheriff Alan Jones.

Undetected, Marlowe had moved with his wife Amber and another woman to Dallas. Together the three of them had 11 kids.

"We didn't see children playing or something. It's strange we never saw any," said former neighbor Lillian Abernathy.

Detective Shelley Hartley of the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office said Marlowe apparently doesn't like hospitals and denied pre-natal care to the two women he calls his wives.

"Sick, he's got a sick mind,” Abernathy added. “Anybody that would do that to their children, there's something really wrong with them.”

Authorities now call the two women victims of abuse.

Detective Hartley believes Marlowe circumcised a third child in Pennsylvania. All children remain in the care of social services.


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