Southwest
Oklahoma man claiming to be pastor and wife accused of locking children in bathroom, beating them with board
An Oklahoma pastor and his wife have been arrested for the alleged abuse of at least eight children.
Authorities in Blackwell said the children were beaten with a board and locked in a bathroom for several days without water, resulting in the arrests of Keith and Candy Holt, Fox 25 reported.
The Blackwell Police Department received a call earlier this month from the state Department of Human Services, which was concerned about several children left home alone. Authorities also received calls from several other people who relayed concerns about what could have been happening inside the home.
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Officers visited the home on Jan. 14 but the Holts reportedly refused to let them inside.
Keith and Candy Holt are accused of abusing children inside their home and locking them in bathroom. (Blackwell Police Department)
When DHS officers arrived the next day to check on the children, no one came to the door, the news report said. On Tuesday, officers were allowed inside and enough evidence was found to make an arrest on suspicion of child abuse, the report said.
The officers believe the couple beat the children with a wooden board, sometimes up to 40 times per beating. They are also accused of locking the kids in a bathroom for several days without food and water as punishment. The children were taken into protective custody.
Officers said Keith Holt identified himself as the lead pastor of the House of Prayer Church. However, the church rebuffed the claims in a Facebook post.
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“The article that is online about the House of Prayer, senior pastor is not the truth. John and Nellie Jack are the senior pastors,” the post states. “We do not condone child abuse in any form. Please pray for our church.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to the church.
Keith Holt was arrested on suspicion of child abuse, kidnapping, and child neglect and Candy Holt for enabling child abuse, kidnapping, and child neglect.
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Jurors deliberating the fate of the man accused of starting the Palisades Fire, one of the most destructive wildfires in California’s history, failed to reach a verdict Thursday afternoon, telling the judge they were deadlocked.
A spokesperson from the United States Attorney’s Office told KTLA that jurors will continue to deliberate until they reach a verdict or give up.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, 30, a former Uber driver and one-time Pacific Palisades resident, is accused of starting the Lachman Fire on New Year’s Eve. The fire continued to smolder underground for about a week, even after Los Angeles firefighters believed it had been extinguished.
Flames reignited on Jan. 7, erupting into the deadly Palisades Fire that killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes in the upscale community, authorities said.
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A courtroom sketch of Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, during his initial court appearance on Oct. 23, 2025. (Bill Robles) -
The U.S. Dept. of Justice booking photo of Jonathan Rinderknecht over the Palisades Fire devastation in Malibu, California in January 2025 (AP).
Prosecutors argued that Rinderknecht deliberately set the fire, claiming he had grown increasingly resentful of wealthy residents and viewed Pacific Palisades as a symbol of that frustration.
“Their case, though circumstantial, is strong,” KTLA legal analyst Alison Triessl said. “The defense is relying on, can they (prosecutors) show beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Rinderknecht actually started this fire and it wasn’t the result of fireworks or some intervening cause.”
The defense argued there is no direct physical evidence tying Rinderknecht to the fire and said the prosecution’s case relies entirely on circumstantial evidence. Rinderknecht did not testify during the trial.
Defense attorney Steve Haney spoke outside the courthouse Wednesday about why he believes it will be difficult for prosecutors to prove how the fire started.
“The lack of scene preservation. The fact that they got there after a lot of the evidence was missing. Not a lot of direct evidence. This is a circumstantial case, which is always difficult as a prosecutor to prove,” Haney said.
Rinderknecht, who was arrested and indicted last October, faces up to 45 years in prison if found guilty of three arson counts, including destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce and timber set afire.
Tony Kurzweil contributed to this report
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