Preliminary hearings have been set for three area residents accused of starving, bruising, and torturing a four-year-old boy.

The child's parents, Roy Albert and Melanie Smith, who live in Muskogee County near Gore, and the child's great-aunt, Sharon Kay Smith of Gore, are facing various charges relating to the abuse.

Roy and Melanie Smith are facing felony child abuse, child neglect, and child endangerment counts in Muskogee County, while Sharon Smith is facing one count of felony child abuse in Sequoyah County. Preliminary hearings for the couple have been set for Nov. 10.

Sharon Kay Smith, 50, pleaded not guilty last week in Sequoyah County District Court. A preliminary hearing was set for 1 p.m. Aug. 11. Smith was also given two weeks to inform the court who her attorney was, according to court records. She is free from the Sequoyah County Jail in Sallisaw on a $10,000 bond.

Muskogee County Sheriff's Deputy Jan Ray said the couple is now being held in Muskogee County on no bond. Sharon Smith has not been charged in the Muskogee County case because Ray said they can not find any evidence when Sharon Smith abused the boy in Muskogee County.

The discovery of the abuse came after the Department of Human Services (DHS) received an anonymous call about the child and asked Gore police to conduct a welfare check on the four-year-old at the home of Sharon Smith, who was allegedly babysitting the child.

Gore Assistant Police Chief Billy White found the child June 25, and DHS took him into custody.

White said earlier this month that the four-year-old could hardly walk, was bruised, and weighed 26 pounds when he was taken into custody at Sharon Smith's home.

She said that there have been details of more abuse allegations in the case. During police interviews, the child allegedly told police that his mother used handcuffs, along with duct tape, on his ankles to prevent him from "bothering his parents at night." The boy also told police that his parents made him lift weights above his head as punishment for wetting his pants, Ray said. At the home of his great-aunt, whom he had been staying with for three months, he was allegedly forced to move rocks from one pile to another. Ray said the boy said the rocks were too heavy to pick up so he demonstrated to police how he would crawl on his knees and roll the rocks.

Ray said this case is the "worst case" she has seen in her career.

Ray said the pair, who have the same father, are actually half-brother and sister, but were living together as man and wife. The two lived next door to their father in a trailer with no water, electricity or septic tank. Ray said an electric cord ran from their father's home to their trailer.

Ray said the boy is currently in foster care in Sequoyah County.

"He's gained weight...he weighs 33 pounds now," Ray said. "He can walk by himself now."