Josie Bousman to turn state’s evidence in Sabrina Ray case

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Josie Bousman, upper left, has turned state's evidence in the case of Sabrina Lynn Ray, upper right, who died of malnutrition May 12 in Perry. Bousman has agreed to testify against, bottom from left, her grandmother, Karla Bousman, her aunt, Misty Ray, her uncle, Marc Ray, and her cousin, Justin Ray.

ADEL — Josie Bousman, 20, of Perry, who faces charges of kidnapping and child endangerment resulting in death in the May starvation death of Sabrina Ray of Perry, “has agreed to testify for the state,” according to an Oct. 13 court order by Dallas County District Court Judge Terry Rickers.

Marc Ray and Misty Ray were arrested May 18 in connection with the death of their adoptive daughter, Sabrina Ray, 16, who died of severe malnutrition May 12 in the family’s home in Perry. Autopsy results showed the teenager died of malnutrition, according to the medical examiner’s report.

Sabrina weighed just 56 pounds when she was found in her home.

Josie Bousman is the niece of Misty Ray.

Marc and Misty Ray were each initially charged with one count of child endangerment resulting in death, four counts of child endangerment resulting in serious injury and three counts of neglect or abandonment of a dependent person. Additional charges of first-degree kidnapping were filed against each of the Rays May 26.

On Oct. 3 Rickers accepted Dallas County Assistant Attorney Jeannine Gilmore’s motion for additional counts of first-degree murder to be filed against the Rays.

Marc Ray has also been charged with one count of second-degree sexual abuse for a child under 12 and one count of third-degree sexual abuse for a person 12 or 13 years old.

Three other family members were also arrested in connection with the death of Sabrina.

Justin Ray, 21, the son of Marc and Misty Ray, was arrested May 31 and charged with one count of child endangerment resulting in serious injury, one count of child endangerment resulting in bodily injury and two counts of willful injury causing bodily injury.

According to court documents, between April 15 and May 1, 2017, Justin Ray allegedly “drop-kicked” Sabrina Ray “down the basement staircase, causing her to land on the basement floor” and leaving her “unable to walk, talk, eat or drink in her normal fashion.”

During the same period, Justin Ray allegedly “kicked Sabrina Lynn Ray in the chin, causing her to drop to the floor bleeding from the chin,” according to court documents.

Misty Ray’s mother, Carla Bousman, 62, was arrested on three counts of aiding and abetting first-degree kidnapping, one count of aiding and abetting child endangerment resulting in death and one count of obstructing prosecution or defense.

Court documents claim Carla Bousman allegedly “removed and altered evidence at the crime scene to obstruct the prosecution of others,” and she “furnished false information in this matter.”

According to the complaints, “Physical evidence indicated Sabrina Lynn Ray had been confined to a bedroom in the residence with her two sisters and had been subjected to torture and cruelty causing serious injury and death,” and Carla Bousman allegedly participated in “the confinement and denial of adequate food and water for” Sabrina and her sisters.

The two surviving girls also “had been secretly confined and had suffered unreasonable force, torture and cruelty for an extended period of time,” treatment “intended to cause serious injury,” according to the complaints.

Josie Bousman was charged May 31 with three counts of aiding and abetting first-degree kidnapping and one count of aiding and abetting child endangerment resulting in death. Her actions were described in the complaints as similar to Carla Bousman’s but without obstructing prosecution or defense.

According to Judge Rickers’ Oct. 13 order, “Because the defendant has agreed to testify for the state, the trial date will be set after the trials date(s) of her co-defendants in a separate order.”

ThePerryNews.com will update this story as information becomes available.

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