Kaylynn Nicole Moore, 28, and James Earl Stone, 27, both of Callaway
Kaylynn N. Moore, 28, of Callaway
UPDATE 7/21/2026 @ 1:00 p.m.: Kaylynn N. Moore, 28, and James E. Stone, 27, both of Callaway, face second-degree child abuse charges and seven counts each of neglect of a minor after deputies allegedly found a nude 4-year-old boy confined inside a trash-filled bedroom closet on July 20, 2026.
Deputies with the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office responded to a home on Roh Ranch Lane in Callaway for a report that a child was being kept in a closet. Investigators said they were given permission to enter and found the residence in disarray.
At the end of a hallway, deputies reportedly found a closet door secured with a bungee cord tied to a bed. After removing the cord, officers discovered the 4-year-old male victim nude and lying on debris and trash inside the closet. Several other children were also inside the residence, according to police.
Moore, identified as the child’s mother, was detained and advised of her rights. Investigators said she acknowledged placing the child in the closet because he had a history of leaving the home unexpectedly. She reportedly described him as having “special needs,” although she could not provide a specific diagnosis.
James E. Stone, 27, of Callaway
According to investigators, Moore said the child had been confined in the closet for approximately one year. She allegedly said he remained there overnight and was let out during the day when he knocked on the door or called for an adult. Moore told deputies that Stone began using the bungee cord because the closet doorknob did not secure properly.
Moore described the residence as “so hazardous” and reported rat or mouse feces and roaches throughout the home. Investigators said she lived there with Stone, her grandfather and five children. The narrative identifies the children as being 11 years old, 8 years old, 4 years old, 1 year old and 7 months old.
Stone also spoke with investigators and allegedly acknowledged placing the 4-year-old victim in the closet because the child had a history of leaving unexpectedly. Stone described the child as “developmentally delayed” and said he used the bungee cord because the child could manipulate the closet latch and unlock the door.
Stone reportedly said the closet was secured so the child could not leave and claimed the practice had continued for no more than three months. His account of how long the child was confined differs from Moore’s reported statement that it had occurred for about one year.
Stone also described the home as being in poor condition, mentioning mouse feces and insects. He reportedly said two dogs in the home tore apart diapers and scattered them throughout the residence.
Investigators said Stone explained that the 4-year-old had previously shared a bedroom with his brothers, but he considered that room unsafe because it had exposed wires and a broken glass window. Stone reportedly said a 1-year-old and an 8-year-old were still living in that bedroom.
Deputies later obtained a search warrant for the residence. During the search, investigators said the closet walls were painted black and that food wrappers, dirty diapers, feces and other refuse covered so much of the floor that it could not be seen. A light inside the closet did not appear to work, according to the allegations. Investigators also reported seeing a television mounted to a wall inside the closet.
Moore is charged with one felony count of second-degree child abuse as a custodian and seven misdemeanor counts of neglect of a minor. Stone is charged with one felony count of second-degree child abuse as a household member and seven misdemeanor counts of neglect of a minor.
The neglect allegations concern the conditions affecting multiple children in the home and include separate accusations involving the confinement of the 4-year-old victim. Some age descriptions differ between the charge sheets and the investigative narrative.
Both Moore and Stone were arrested on July 20, 2026, and ordered held without bond. Judicial officers found that each posed a reasonable potential danger to an alleged victim, another person or the community. Moore waived an attorney for her initial appearance, though the waiver applied only to that proceeding. Both were later listed as eligible for representation by the Office of the Public Defender.
Moore’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for August 10, 2026, at 1 p.m. Stone’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for August 4, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. Both proceedings are scheduled in St. Mary’s District Court in Leonardtown.
7/21/2026: On Monday, July 20, 2026, deputies from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 20000 block of Roh Ranch Lane in Callaway for a report of child abuse after a caller stated that a child was being held in a closet.
When deputies arrived, they were given consent to enter the residence and located a closet door secured by a bungee cord. Inside the closet, they found a 4-year-old child. The child was taken for medical evaluation.
A search warrant for the residence was subsequently obtained and served. During the search, deputies reported the closet was in deplorable condition, with no working light, and they did not observe any edible food inside the closet.
As the investigation continued, deputies determined that three adults and five children lived in the home. The four other children in the home did not require medical attention.
The child’s mother, Kaylynn Nicole Moore, 28, told deputies the child was left in the closet daily for approximately 12 hours.
Moore’s boyfriend, James Earl Stone, 27, who also lived in the home, admitted to using the bungee cord to secure the closet door.
As a result of the investigation, Moore and Stone were charged with child abuse and seven counts of child neglect. They were transported to the St. Mary’s County Detention and Rehabilitation Center in Leonardtown to await bond hearings.
