Two people are in custody at the Howard County Jail charged with rape and child endangerment. Jeremy James Cudney, 32, and Cassandra Elaine Cudney, 32, both of Rocheport, were arrested on Monday, April 25.

Jeremy Cudney faces four counts of first-degree rape or attempted rape, an unclassified felony. Cassandra Cudney is charged with two counts of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child - physical injury - sexual contact, both Class C felonies.

The victim told officers that starting in August 2021 she had been raped by Jeremy Cudney, her uncle, on several occasions when Cassandra was away from the house. She was often tied up with ropes and at least once was forced to drink water containing a muscle relaxer, according to a probable cause statement filed by the Missouri State Technical Assistance Team (STAT). 

When officers searched the locations where the alleged crimes took place, near the intersection of Highway 40 and County Road 433 in southern Howard County, they found ropes attached to the bedroom ceilings and walls, along with cyclobenzaprine, a muscle relaxer used to treat pain and stiffness caused by muscle spasms.

A probable cause statement for Cassandra Cudney has been sealed by the court. She remains in custody on a $25,000 cash or surety bond. According to online court records, she appeared before Judge Mason Gebhardt in Howard County court alongside her attorney, public defender Robert Fleming, on April 26, at which time she waived formal arraignment. She is due back in court on Tuesday, May 24 for a preliminary hearing setting.

Jeremy Cudney remains in jail with no bond. He was arraigned before Judge Gebhardt on April 26 and has secured the assistance of special public defender Stephen McKinley Concannon. Cudney was scheduled to return to court for a bond hearing on Tuesday morning as this newspaper went to press.

Jeremy Cudney also faces three counts of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child involving drugs - first offense, a Class D felony, drug possession, a Class D felony, and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class D misdemeanor. Those charges were filed in August 2021.