Parents cite ‘naturalist’ beliefs for infant neglect
Posted/updated on: July 15, 2025 at 7:52 am
ANDERSON COUNTY – According to our news partner KETK, an arrest affidavit revealed the two East Texas parents that were arrested for child neglect claimed their infant wasn’t getting the proper care because the father is a “naturalist,” meanwhile, detectives discovered bottles filled with mold, maggots covering the trash can and traces of methamphetamine.
On Tuesday, a child abuse and neglect investigation was opened for a six-month-old infant. The report first came from Child Protective Services (CPS) after the infant was taken to an emergency room in Athens on July 3 for a rash by her parents, Devon Langley and Cheyanne McGinty.
“After further inspection by medical staff, they recommended the baby needed to get further medical advice from Children’s Medical Center located in Dallas due to the apparent signs of malnutrition, [the baby] was born at seven pounds, eight ounces on Dec. 24, 2024 and weighed eight pounds as of July 4,” the document said. “Both parents denied transporting the baby to Dallas via ambulance due to the cost of bills and gas.”
According to the Mayo Clinic, babies tend to gain weight fast in the first few months. “Babies gain about 1 ounce a day. That slows at around 4 months to about 20 grams a day,” the Mayo Clinic said. “As they turn 6 months old, many babies are gaining about 10 grams or less a day.”
On the July 4, the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office and CPS responded to the parent’s home in Palestine to begin their investigation, the document explained. While there, CPS advised the parents to take the infant to Palestine Regional Medical Center (PRMC) for a medical evaluation and after taking her there, PRMC advised the infant should go the Children’s Hospital. Both parents agreed to an ambulance taking their child to the hospital in Dallas.
While in Dallas, the doctors found that the baby had nutritional deficiencies consistent with malnutrition such as unstable blood sugars and an X-RAY showed malnutrition in her bones, the affidavit said.
When speaking to the sheriff’s office, Langley said they feed the baby 10 jars of baby food per day and breast milk. “Langley stated they have taken [the baby] to her doctor in Palestine for the concerns, but she was not worried about her weight,” the affidavit said. “McGinty told the investigator that [the baby] weighed 12 pounds four days ago when they weighed her.”
Accorded CPS, it was found that the baby had not seen her primary care doctor in Palestine since she was 10 days old.
“The baby was getting breast milk from McGinty, but she stopped producing milk after two months so they started feeding her baby food because [Langley] does not believe in feeding formula milk because of the ingredients in it,” the affidavit said.
McGinty went on to explain to investigators that while the baby was at the emergency room in Athens doctors told them the baby may have dermatitis and a urinary tract infection.
Langley told detectives that they assumed the baby has lost weight because of the symptoms of the rash that was covering her body. “[The baby] has had the rash for about a week and they have been using grape seed oil and coconut oil to cure it,” the affidavit said. Langley said that once they realized the rash was spreading they decided to take her to the doctor and he admitted to detectives that he saw the baby not holding weight since birth.
On Tuesday, investigators conducted an interview with a seven-year-old family member that lives in McGinty and Langley’s home. The seven-year-old explained her and McGinty enjoy eating food when Langley isn’t around and they keep it a “secret.” The family member said she takes baths but the infant has never had one, she only gets coconut water on her.
“Langley has stated he is a naturalist, and he believes in natural ingredients and organic food and products,” the document said. “That is the reason behind not getting proper care from a physician and or nutrition that an infant requires.”
While investigators were searching the parents home, they found multiple health hazards including:
Bottles with mold
Air purifiers with mold
Maggots covering the trash can
When detectives were in the their master bedroom, they found various drug paraphernalia and methamphetamines inside a black container on the dresser including:
Several butane lighters
E-cigarette pens
Empty cannabis package
A pipe commonly used to smoke marijuana
Langley and McGinty were arrested on Wednesday in Dallas for injury to a child – criminal negligence and possession of a controlled substance. They are both being held on a $400,000 bond.
