Jesse Eging is Mary Rowles’s son who grew up alongside his four half-siblings – Darrell, Marissa, Tyler, and Caleb. Jesse and his half-siblings were victims of severe abuse at the hands of their mother’s partner, Alice Jenkins.
Jesse became a topic for public discussion after the bouts of domestic abuse meted on him and his four half-siblings by Alice made headlines. Jesse’s mother Mary Rowles met Alice at a gay bar after which they started dating and moved in together but this spelled doom for Mary’s children, especially Jesse and Tyler.
Who is Jesse Eging?
Jesse is one of the sons of Mary Rowles and he grew up alongside four half-siblings – Darrell, Marissa, Tyler, and Caleb. His birth details are not known to the public, thus, we cannot say how old he is. However, Jesse and his four half-siblings have different fathers but the same mother who had custody of them.
An American national, Jesse lived with his mother and half-siblings in Ohio and they seemed to have had a normal life until Alice Jenkins came into the picture. He attended Chardon High School at the time.
What Happened to Jesse Eging?
Jesse Eging is a child abuse victim and survivor. As a child, he lived with his mother Mary Rowles, and his four half-siblings. There was no father figure in their lives and they lived happily as one family until Mary met and moved in with Alice Jenkins.
Mary Rowles met Alice Jenkins at a gay bar and they became fast friends. They later got close and began dating. Soon afterward, they moved in together alongside Mary’s children. The blended family moved into a house in Akron, Ohio and things seemed to be moving on smoothly at first.
After a while, Alice noticed how Jesse and Tyler would often demand Mary’s attention and she didn’t like it. This made her dislike the boys, meting out punishments to them at every opportunity she gets. She would tie them to their beds whenever their mom went out to work. When they managed to escape, Alice would lock them up in their rooms.
The torture got worse to the point that the boys became malnourished after being denied food for days. Alice locked them in a dark closet for hours without granting them bathroom breaks or food. The boys were made to sleep in their own urine for hours. Weak and malnourished from the frequent starvation, Tyler and Jesse also had to miss school because they were not allowed to go and when they found a way to talk to their friends in school, Alice unleashed her inhuman punishments with more brutality.
When the boys asked for food after days of going hungry, they were made to eat their feces. At a point, the other kids reached out to child welfare officers who visited the house to investigate any possible abuse. However, Alice was able to charm her way into their hearts, convincing them that all was well. The officers left without furthering the investigation and the abuse became physical and horrifying. Alice began whipping Tyler with a leather belt while the starvation continued.
Tired of the torture and abuse at home, Jesse, Tyler, and Darrell (another half-sibling) teamed up and escaped through the window. This happened in April 2003 when the children were between 6 to 14 years old. Some police officers found them roaming the streets in the middle of the night and listened to their stories. Subsequently, their mother, Mary Rowles, and her partner Alice were taken into custody for further investigation.
Where is Jesse Egings Now?
Jesse is currently residing in Scottsdale, Arizona where he works as a full-time Parkour Coach. Apparently, Eging was not his original last name as it came from the foster family who took him in after the horrific events that led to running away from home.
When the authorities took over the matter, Jesse and another half-sibling named Caleb were moved to a foster home in Tallmadge where they stayed for a year before the Eging adopted them. The Egings reside in Chardon, Ohio, and are known for adopting and fostering children who need such help.
Even after leaving the brutal captivity Alice subjected him to, Jesse was left traumatized for years. He would sit by the window at school out of fear that Alice might come back for him. It took years of love and care to ease him back into a happy life but his emotions took another hit in 2012 when three of his friends at school were gunned down by one of their classmates.
On the personal side, Jesse is said to be in a longtime relationship with a partner whose identity is not public knowledge. He has also maintained a close bond with his half-siblings to date. Jesse reportedly studied physical therapy and teaches the art of parkour to children in Arizona as a full-time job.
Sadly, the horrific experience they faced in their childhood rubbed off on Jesse and his siblings. While some developed poor sight due to malnutrition, some others struggled with PTSD, drugs, and alcohol. Nevertheless, they are mostly doing well. Their story was documented in a television series titled Evil Lives Here.
Where are Alice Jenkins and Mary Rowles?
Alice Jenkins and Mary Rowles are both serving prison time for their crimes against Mary’s children. Both women are still incarcerated at the Ohio Reformatory for Women in Marysville, Ohio.
Following their arrest, Alice and Mary faced 55 charges and were put on trial for their crimes. Among the charges, they were tried for are kidnapping, child endangerment, felony assault, and more. Jesse’s mom, Mary was additionally charged with permitting child abuse as she knew about the horror her children had to live with and did nothing.
The two women pleaded guilty in 2003 and got 30 years in prison. Though they are still serving time in prison, it was reported in 2019 that Alice applied for early release based on the claim that she has changed into a better person during her time in prison. Mary had also filed for early release in August 2018 but the two petitions were denied. Their expected date of release falls in 2023.
According to the TV show about their story, Jesse was not aware of his mother’s imprisonment for years but he doesn’t feel bad for her now, knowing she is paying for her crimes. However, he tried to contact Alice to understand her reason behind the torture.
