Member-only story
What Happened to 11-Year-Old Cody Haynes?
A young boy who lived in an abusive household went missing, and the police fear he may have been murdered.
Abusive relationships come in a variety of forms. While none of them are acceptable, abuse against children may be one of the worst as they cannot defend themselves and can’t escape their abusers.
Cody Haynes
Eleven-year-old Cody Haynes lived with his father, Richard Haynes Sr., his father’s girlfriend, Marla Harding, and his four sisters in Kittitas, Washington. The family shared a second-floor apartment in the small town's downtown area that only two police officers serviced.
By all accounts, it did not appear, Cody and his sisters had the best home life, and there may have been tension in the household that caused unnecessary pain and suffering. On September 11, 2004, Cody and Marla argued when Cody refused to put the leftovers away and wash the dishes after dinner, causing Marla to punish him.
As a punishment, Marla made Cody sit at the kitchen table by himself to think about his actions for four hours before sending him to bed at midnight. However, when he went to bed, her torment wasn’t over as she told Cody he was not allowed to leave his room for any reason, including for snacks…
