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Kenneth Cook Indicted on 152 Charges in Decade-Long Incest and Abuse Case Involving His Daughter Alexzandrea Thomas

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BECKLEY, W.Va. — A West Virginia man is facing a staggering 152 criminal charges, including 149 counts of incest, after allegedly subjecting his biological daughter to more than a decade of sexual abuse that resulted in the birth of three children.

Kenneth Ray Cook, 44, of Raleigh County, is accused of beginning the abuse in 2012, when his daughter, Alexzandrea Thomas, was just 9 years old.

According to court documents, the abuse continued uninterrupted until she was 21.

Initially arrested in April, Cook was charged with multiple offenses, including sexual abuse, sexual assault, child neglect, and three counts of incest. However, following a June 3 grand jury indictment—based in part on the testimony of a sheriff’s deputy—Cook now faces an expanded list of charges totaling 152.

The most recent charges, according to court filings, are dated July 2024.

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Authorities say the case came to light earlier this year, and a subsequent investigation revealed that three children had been born as a result of the alleged abuse.

Those children have since been found in a state of neglect. One of them—a 1-year-old—was discovered in particularly poor conditions in August, prompting additional charges related to child welfare.

Cook has been held at the Southern Regional Jail since March and remains in custody on a $500,000 bond.

This case has sparked widespread outrage and renewed discussions about how long-term abuse can go undetected.

Officials have not commented on whether other individuals may face charges in connection with the alleged failure to report or intervene during the years of abuse.

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The investigation remains ongoing.


Crime

Woman Fatally Struck by Semi-Truck on Birmingham Interstate Exit Ramp Identified as Shontea Baker

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Woman Fatally Struck by Semi-Truck on Birmingham Arkadelphia Road exit ramp from Interstate 5920 Identified as Shontea Baker

Authorities have identified the woman who was killed earlier this week after being struck by a semi-truck on an interstate exit ramp in Birmingham.

The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office confirmed on Friday that the victim was Shontea Renee Baker, 40, a Birmingham resident.

The fatal incident occurred at approximately 10:26 a.m. Wednesday on the Arkadelphia Road exit ramp from Interstate 59/20.

Emergency responders pronounced Baker deceased at the scene at 10:42 a.m.

At this time, no further details regarding the circumstances of the crash have been released.

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The Birmingham Police Department is continuing to investigate the incident.


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