Mother Pleads Insane in Torture of Her Sons

A mother accused of torturing two of her sons and contributing to the death of another one has changed her plea of innocent to innocent by reason of insanity.

Carrie Lee Davis, 42, amended her plea Friday in a Joshua Tree courtroom. Davis’ two children, now ages 13 and 18, have told police they were chained up in their home and held captive by their mother, their father, John Davis, 53, and Faye Potts, 47. The boys said they endured years of beatings and were underfed.

In November, prosecutors charged the three adults with murder, saying another Davis boy, Rainbow, 6, died in 1991 after John Davis and Potts beat him. Carrie Davis did not prevent the abuse and helped to burn the body, prosecutors said.