Sebring, Florida - In a unimaginable incident that unfolded on Tuesday, 39-year-old Richard Myron Ham met a fatal end when deputies shot him after he allegedly attempted to burn a 9-year-old boy he believed was possessed by a demon. The distressing encounter also involved Ham assaulting a sheriff's deputy with a metal rod.
The Highlands County Sheriff's Office responded to reports of a burning debris pile on Bay Blossom Drive near the intersection of U.S. Route 98. Firefighters rushed to the scene just after 4 p.m., prompting the summoning of deputies as the situation grew increasingly suspicious.
Upon their arrival, deputies encountered Ham armed with two metal rods. Despite repeated commands to comply, Ham resisted, leading deputies to deploy a Taser. The Taser reportedly appeared ineffective as Ham pulled the probes from his body, re-armed himself with one of the metal rods, and struck a deputy in the head.
In response to the assault, another deputy discharged their weapon, hitting Ham. The 39-year-old was transported to the hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. The injured deputy received medical attention and was subsequently released.
As the investigation unfolded, disturbing details emerged - Ham and his 30-year-old girlfriend, Lakenya Phillips, were reportedly burning the possessions of Phillips’ 9-year-old son, under the belief that the child was possessed by a demon. Witnesses reported seeing Ham placing the child into the fire and covering him with a burning blanket. Miraculously, the child escaped with minimal physical injuries, but the psychological trauma is anticipated to have enduring effects.
Phillips and the boy were reported as missing and endangered in Wichita, Kansas, on December 6. The circumstances surrounding their arrival in Highlands County remain shrouded in uncertainty.
A search of Ham and Phillips’ vehicle by deputies revealed multiple firearms and drugs. Ham's criminal history included convictions for armed felonies and drug possession, with a documented record of multiple arrests in Arkansas, South Carolina, and Georgia.
In a shocking turn of events, Lakenya Lavonn Phillips, the girlfriend of the deceased, was arrested and charged with attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest with violence, and cruelty toward a child. Allegedly, Phillips pushed deputies as they attempted to secure Ham and provide aid.
Phillips appeared for her first court hearing, where she was ordered to be held without bond. Prosecutors signaled their intention to pursue a felony murder charge related to Ham's death. Witnesses recounted a horrifying incident where Ham and Phillips purportedly placed the 9-year-old into the burning fire, covering him with a flaming blanket.
Currently under the custody of the Department of Children and Families (DCF), the child disclosed distressing details of neglect, revealing he had not bathed or brushed his teeth for at least ten days and had not been fed for at least 24 hours. Additionally, he reported regular drug use by Ham and Phillips, with Ham allegedly threatening him with a large knife.
In response to the tragic incident, the deputies involved have been placed on paid administrative leave, pending an investigation by the 10th Judicial Circuit's Officer-Involved Deadly Incident Task Force.
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