Published: September 24, 2020

AN INVESTIGATION BY SPECIAL AGENTS WITH THE TENNESSEE BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION INTO ALLEGATIONS OF CHILD SEX ABUSE HAS RESULTED IN THE INDICTMENT OF A LAWRENCE COUNTY COUPLE AND THEIR ADULT SON. ACCORDING TO A PRESS RELEASE, IN AUGUST, TBI SPECIAL AGENTS BEGAN INVESTIGATING ALLEGATIONS OF CHILD SEX ABUSE BY INDIVIDUALS IN LAWRENCE COUNTY, AT THE REQUEST OF 22ND DISTRICT ATTORNEY GENERAL BRENT COOPER,. AGENTS WITH THE GEORGIA BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, INVESTIGATING A CASE OF CHILD SEX ABUSE IN GEORGIA, DEVELOPED INFORMATION WITH A NEXUS TO TENNESSEE, AND PROVIDED THAT INFORMATION TO TBI AGENTS. DURING THE COURSE OF THE INVESTIGATION, AGENTS IDENTIFIED A LEOMA COUPLE AND THEIR ADULT SON AS INDIVIDUALS RESPONSIBLE FOR, OR KNOWING ABOUT, CHILD ABUSE-RELATED CRIMES THERE IN 2019. ON SEPTEMBER 15TH, THE LAWRENCE COUNTY GRAND JURY RETURNED INDICTMENTS CHARGING THE FOLLOWING:  JEFFREY WADE HOWELL WITH ONE COUNT CONTINUOUS SEXUAL ABUSE OF A CHILD AND ONE COUNT STATUTORY RAPE BY AN AUTHORITY FIGURE, GLENDA SUE HOWELL WITH ONE COUNT FAILURE TO REPORT KNOWN OR SUSPECTED CHILD ABUSE, AND DONNIE WAYNE JACKSON  OF CUMMING, GEORGIA WITH ONE COUNT SEXUAL BATTERY BY AN AUTHORITY FIGURE. JEFFREY HOWELL AND JACKSON ARE IN CUSTODY AT SEPARATE JAILS IN GEORGIA, AND DETAINERS HAVE BEEN PLACED ON THEM FOR THESE CURRENT CHARGES. GLENDA HOWELL WAS ARRESTED ON SEPTEMBER 16TH AND WAS BOOKED INTO THE LAWRENCE COUNTY JAIL.