Three Oklahoma jail employees face misdemeanor cruelty charges after forcing a group of cuffed inmates to listen to "Baby Shark" on repeat for hours, the Associated Press reports.
In November and December 2019, former Oklahoma Country Jail employees Gregory Cornell Butler Jr. and Christian Charles Miles, as well as their supervisor Christopher Raymond Hendershott, reportedly forced four inmates—who were handcuffed and secured to a wall, their hands behind their backs—to stand upright and listen to the popular children's song on loop at high volume for hours on end.
According to court records, the abuse took place on two separate occasions.
Butler Jr. and Miles, both 21, have been accused of executing the cruel and unusual punishment. Their supervisor, Hendershott, 50, allegedly knew about the abuse but did nothing to stop it.
Hendershott has since retired from his position at the jail. Butler and Miles resigned after an internal investigation was launched.
Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater told AP that it was "unfortunate" he could not find a specific felony statue to fit the incident. "I would have preferred filing a felony on this behavior," he said.