A Roane County couple faces several charges after an investigation lead officers to a child’s skeletal remains at a home in Ten Mile. The arrest report states 63-year-old Michael Anthony Gray, Sr. and 60-year-old Shirley Ann Gray each face two counts of especially aggravated kidnapping and aggravated child abuse, three counts of aggravated child neglect and one count of abuse of a corpse.

Neither of the Grays made any comments as they were led into the Roane County Jail yesterday afternoon.

The horrific discovery started to unfold this past Friday when a 911 call was made regarding a boy in the street near Dry Fork Valley Road. An officer found the child and made contact with his parents at their home.

Deputies found three children living in the home ranging in age from 11 to 15 under reportedly adverse conditions. Authorities say that is when the father, Michael Gray Sr., allegedly admitted to burying a deceased female child on the property.

Saturday morning around 3 a.m., officers discovered the remains. The cause of death is under investigation. It’s not clear at this time when she was buried.

The children were reportedly adopted by Michael Gray Sr. and his wife Shirley and are not the biological parents.

The couple will be arraigned in Roane County General Sessions Court this afternoon (Tuesday, May 26, 2020) at 1 p.m. eastern.

Especially Aggravated Kidnapping is a Class A felony and carries a sentence of 15 to 60 years. Under Tennessee law this charge, if it results in conviction, requires 100% day for day service with 15% sentence credit for ‘good time’ – effectively 85% with the ‘good credit’, if achieved.

Aggravated Child Abuse, as charged in this instance under the portion of the statute commonly referred to as Haley’s Law, is a Class A felony (if the child is 8 years of age or less) and carries a sentence of 15 to 60 years; and is a Class B felony (if the child is more than 8 years of age) and carries a sentence of 8 to 30 years. Under Tennessee law this charge, if it results in conviction, requires 100% day for day service with 15% sentence credit for ‘good time’ – effectively 85% with the ‘good credit’, if achieved.

Aggravated Child Neglect, as charged in this instance under the portion of the statute commonly referred to as Haley’s Law, is also a Class B felony and carries a sentence of 8 to 30 years, but only requires 85% service with and additional 15% credit for ‘good time’, if it results in conviction.

Abuse of a Corpse is a Class E felony carrying a sentence range of 1 to 6 years with the actual range determined by the defendant’s prior criminal history and it is a probation eligible offense.