SEBRING, FL – A distressing incident unfolded in Sebring, Florida, where 39-year-old Richard Myron Ham is accused of placing his girlfriend’s 9-year-old son in a fire, believing the child was possessed by a demon. The Highlands County Sheriff’s Office reported that the child’s mother, 30-year-old Lakenya Lavonn Phillips, is also implicated in the incident.
The situation occurred on Bay Blossom Drive and U.S. 98, where Ham and Phillips allegedly burned the child’s possessions as part of a ritual to rid him of a demon. The episode escalated dangerously when Ham reportedly put the boy into the fire and covered him with a flaming blanket. Fortunately, the child managed to escape serious harm and is now under the care of the Florida Department of Children and Families.
When deputies arrived at the scene in response to a call about debris burning, including live ammunition, they found Ham armed with metal rods. Despite deploying a taser, Ham reportedly continued his aggressive behavior, leading one deputy to fire in self-defense.
