Though the mysterious seaside car crash, involving 15-year-old Devonte Hart, his five siblings and his adoptive parents remains under investigation, more details are emerging of the family’s troubled history. In fact, reports of abuse and neglect date back to 2008.
The latest discovery of the Hart children’s desperate cries for help is even more unsettling. According to The Washington Post, four months before the Harts’ SUV plunged off a cliff into the ocean, Hannah Hart, 16, jumped out of a second-story window in their home and ran to neighbor Bruce DeKalb’s house. His father-in-law called 911 to report the incident and the call was released on Wednesday by the Clark County Regional Emergency Services Agency in Washington.
“There’s some kids that I feel is [sic] being highly abused,” the man told dispatch in November. “A little girl jumped out of the second story window on the roof and then down to the ground and then ran to my daughter and this is like 2 in the morning, begging them to help her.”
The 911 call is one of at least four incidents involving claims of abuse in the home and this isn’t the first time the DeKalb family has reported neglect. Weeks before the crash, Dana DeKalb contacted Child Protective Services to report that Devonte was coming to their home asking for food.
Adoptive parents Jennifer and Sarah Hart and three of the children, Markis, Jeremiah and Abigail have all been reported dead. However, Devonte, Hannah and Sierra Hart remain missing.
CNN reports that it’s unclear if any consequential actions were taken after Dekalb’s father-in-law made the call to 911, but authorities do suspect the deadly car crash may have been intentional.