The adoptive parents of a Perry teen who was neglected and later died of malnutrition at the age of 16 will be required to pay back adoption subsidies as part of their court-ordered restitution.
Sabrina Ray was found dead inside her family’s Perry home in May 2017, weighing only 56 pounds. She died due to severe malnutrition, according to the Iowa State Medical Examiner.
Sabrina’s adoptive father, Marc Ray, pleaded guilty to child endangerment causing death and three counts of kidnapping. Sabrina’s adoptive mother, Misty Ray, pleaded guilty to three counts of kidnapping.
The two were sentenced in January: Marc received 80 years in prison with a mandatory minimum of 35 years; Misty received a life sentence without the possibility of parole plus an additional 20 years.
Dallas County Court records show that pecuniary damages totaling $226,418.40 were approved on April 1 by Judge Terry Rickers.
$50,035.58 must be repayed to the Iowa Department of Human Services for adoption subsidy overpayments, and $26,382.82 to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for adoption subsidy overpayments.
The remaining $150,000 of restitution—an amount set per Iowa Code for child endangerment resulting in death—is set to be divided between Sabrina’s three adoptive siblings.
H.R., M.R. and J.R. are all minors and registered as victims in the case.
Both Marc and Misty Ray had faced charges of ongoing criminal conduct, theft and fraudulent practice before those counts were dismissed as part of a plea agreement. The Dallas County Attorney’s Office tells Local 5 the charges stemmed from payments made to the family for adoption and caretaker purposes that were never properly utilized.
Sabrina Ray’s adoptive brother, Justin Ray, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for physically assaulting Sabrina. Carla Bousman, her grandmother, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for false imprisonment and child endangerment.
Sabrina’s adoptive cousin, 22-year-old Josie Bousman, pleaded guilty to neglect of a dependent person and two counts of child endangerment and was sentenced to 14 years in prison with no mandatory minimum.
