MacArthur, W.Va. – A Raleigh County man has been arrested and charged with multiple offenses, including incest, sexual abuse, and child neglect, after authorities discovered he had an incestuous relationship with his biological daughter, resulting in the birth of three children.

Alexzandrea Thomas Speaks Out Following Conviction of Father in Incest and Abuse Case

According to a criminal complaint, 43-year-old Kenneth Cook, of MacArthur, West Virginia, was taken into custody on Thursday, March 6.

He is facing charges of:

• Sexual abuse by a parent or custodian
• Third-degree sexual assault
• Child neglect
• Three counts of incest

Investigators allege that between 2019 and March 2024, Cook engaged in a non-consensual sexual relationship with his biological daughter, Alexzandrea Thomas, which led to the birth of three children, currently aged 5, 3, and 1.

The complaint states that Alexzandrea Thomas is now 21 years old, meaning that the first child was conceived when she was under the age of 16, and Cook was 38 years old at the time.

Throughout this period, Cook and Thomas were residing together in the same household.

Authorities launched an investigation following a referral from Child Protective Services (CPS) regarding concerns of abuse and neglect involving the youngest child, who, at one year old, weighed only six pounds.

Medical personnel at Charleston Area Medical Center (CAMC) determined that the 1-year-old was severely malnourished and exhibited signs of medical neglect, as his health had continued to deteriorate without proper intervention.

Further concerns were raised when the attending physician noted physical characteristics commonly associated with an incestuous relationship.

This prompted genetic testing, which was conducted on all three children and later sent to the Mayo Clinic for analysis.

The test results confirmed that the children’s parents shared a first-generational biological relationship, indicating that their parents were either a parent and child or full-blooded siblings.

As Thomas has no full-blooded siblings, investigators determined that Cook was the biological father of all three children.

Cook is currently being held at Southern Regional Jail on a $500,000 bond as the investigation continues.