Parents of teen who weighed 56 pounds when she died charged with murder

ADEL, Iowa -- The adoptive parents of a 16-year-old Iowa girl who weighed only 56 pounds when she died have been charged with first-degree murder.

Court records show a Dallas County judge on Tuesday approved the prosecution's request to bring more charges against Misty and Marc Ray.

They're the adoptive parents of 16-year-old Sabrina Ray, who was found dead May 12 inside the family's home in Perry, 35 miles northwest of Des Moines. Police say preliminary autopsy results show she was severely malnourished.

The Rays, who ran an in-home day care, already have pleaded not guilty to charges of child endangerment causing death, child endangerment causing serious injury and neglect. 

Five family members in total have been charged in connection with the girl's death. Justin Ray, Sabrina's 21-year-old brother who also lived in the home, allegedly "drop-kicked" Sabrina down the basement staircase sometime between May 1 and May 12. CBS affiliate KCCI reports that according to court documents, the ensuing fall rendered the girl unable to walk, talk, eat or drink. Justin Ray has been charged with two felony counts of willful injury and two felony counts of child endangerment.

Also facing charges are the Rays' 20-year-old niece, Josie Bousman, who also lived in the home, and Misty Ray's mother, Carla Rae Bousman, 62.

Newly-released search warrants obtained by KCCI say that on the night Sabrina died, she was with Josie Bousman and two of her other cousins. Bousman gave Sabrina water just before she came unresponsive and was "cold to the touch," court documents say.

Josie Bousman called her grandmother, Carla Bousman, who arrived at the house to help revive Sabrina. It took about 10 minutes until they called 911, KCCI reports.

Once the Bousmans realized the girl was dead, they called Marc, Misty and Justin Ray, who were in Nashville, Tennessee visiting family and friends.

Marc Ray told police that his wife discarded the family's cellphones as soon as she learned of Sabrina's death, according to court documents obtained by the station.

When police arrived at the home, they found Sabrina had suffered "unreasonable force, torture and cruelty," court documents say.

The documents say Josie Bousman admitted to taking part in holding Sabrina and two other girls against their will in the home and participated in denying Sabrina of food and water. Carla Bousman is also accused of confining Sabrina and two other girls in the home.

Court documents also reveal that Marc Ray was charged with one count of second-degree sexual abuse for a child under 12 and one count of third-degree sexual abuse for a person 12 or 13 years old, the station reports, though they the charges were not related to Sabrina's death.