Three other family members have also been charged

Father who worked as Santa arrested after bodies of 2 children found in yard

A Georgia father and three other family members have been arrested and charged in connection with the deaths of two children who were found buried in the man’s backyard.Siblings Mary Crocker and Elwyn Crocker Jr. were both discovered Dec. 20 after someone called authorities with concerns about the wellbeing of Mary, according to the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office.The 14-year-old had not been seen in weeks and her older brother had not been seen since November 2016 when he was 14 years old, Time reported. Neither teen had ever been reported missing.Their father, Elwyn Crocker, along with the children’s stepmother, Candice Crocker, step-grandmother, Kim Wright, and her boyfriend, Roy Anthony Prater, were charged with concealing a death and cruelty to children.“I’ve been doing this 41 years, and a while ago I almost broke down in tears,” Jimmy McDuffie, Effingham County sheriff, said during a press conference. “It’s that bad. I cannot understand how you do children like this. It’s horrible.”Crocker reportedly led authorities to the children’s graves. He worked as a Santa Claus at Walmart until recently, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.Neighbors told WTOC-TV the children seemed to mostly stay inside the home. Mary was often seen doing yard work.“Other kids said at school they could tell stuff was wrong with her hands. They were red,” said Gary Bennett. “Kids would see her and ask what was wrong, and she wouldn’t ever say anything. She wouldn’t open up to anybody.”A third child who lived at the home and has special needs was taken into custody.

A Georgia father and three other family members have been arrested and charged in connection with the deaths of two children who were found buried in the man’s backyard.

Siblings Mary Crocker and Elwyn Crocker Jr. were both discovered Dec. 20 after someone called authorities with concerns about the wellbeing of Mary, according to the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office.


The 14-year-old had not been seen in weeks and her older brother had not been seen since November 2016 when he was 14 years old, Time reported. Neither teen had ever been reported missing.

Their father, Elwyn Crocker, along with the children’s stepmother, Candice Crocker, step-grandmother, Kim Wright, and her boyfriend, Roy Anthony Prater, were charged with concealing a death and cruelty to children.

Effingham County Sheriff's Office/Facebook Elwyn Crocker

“I’ve been doing this 41 years, and a while ago I almost broke down in tears,” Jimmy McDuffie, Effingham County sheriff, said during a press conference. “It’s that bad. I cannot understand how you do children like this. It’s horrible.”

Crocker reportedly led authorities to the children’s graves. He worked as a Santa Claus at Walmart until recently, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Neighbors told WTOC-TV the children seemed to mostly stay inside the home. Mary was often seen doing yard work.

“Other kids said at school they could tell stuff was wrong with her hands. They were red,” said Gary Bennett. “Kids would see her and ask what was wrong, and she wouldn’t ever say anything. She wouldn’t open up to anybody.”

A third child who lived at the home and has special needs was taken into custody.