COLUMBUS, Ohio — Two Athens County parents are expected to change their pleas to guilty in a sexual abuse case involving children.
According to the Athens County Prosecutor’s Office, Robert and Deborah Bellar will plead guilty endangering children and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity on Thursday.
The case made headlines in 2021 when Serah Bellar, one of the couple’s 18 biological children, posted to social media a detailed account of the alleged sexual abuse she endured involving her two brothers and her parents did nothing to stop it.
An investigation would result in the arrest of her parents and her brothers, Josiah and Jonathan Bellar.
In November, Josiah plead guilty to charges of felonious assault and child endangering.
Jonathan is accused of gross sexual imposition.
The investigation would also reveal that in February 2017, May 2018, and April 2020, Athens County Children Services were told of the abuse and failed to investigate. Athens County denied the accusations.
Serah filed a lawsuit last month against her parents, the county and a former deputy with the Athens County Sheriff’s Office who tried to help the family cover up the abuse.
Jimmy Childs was accused of deleting evidence of a phone call he had with a member of the family and providing false information during the course of the investigation.
Childs pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and surrendered his law enforcement certificate.
In her post, Serah claimed that the family attended Dove Outreach, a church in Waverly where procreation among siblings was taught.
In her lawsuit, Serah also names the church and her uncle, James Bellar, who runs it. James told 10TV the accusations against him are untrue and tells 10TV he plans to represent himself in court against the allegations.
"My client she is a warrior, she's a survivor. What she suffered is catastrophic and never should have happened," said Michael Fradin, who is representing Serah in the federal case.
In an interview with 10TV, Serah discussed the criminal case and the alleged abuse by her brothers.
"It was kind of life-threatening at the time. Anybody in that situation would be scared,” she said.
Serah says she confronted her dad about the crimes, but he didn’t say anything. She says she's speaking out now in hopes other children will stand up against abuse.
"Go to someone that you know will help you. And whether they know what's going on or not, tell them. If they are a good person, they will," she said.