ST. FRANCISVILLE — In an update to UWK’s report last week about a disturbing child abuse case involving a 12-year-old girl, authorities have now arrested the child’s adoptive father, Glenn Hanchey.
Hanchey faces charges of false imprisonment and cruelty to juveniles. His bond has not been set at this time, per the sheriff’s office.
His arrest follows the late September 2025 arrest of his wife, Gretchen Hanchey, in connection with the same case. UWK is not identifying the young girl to protect her privacy. She is no longer in the Hancheys’ custody.
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According to investigators, Glenn Hanchey is the biological uncle of the victim. He and his wife adopted the child after her biological father was incarcerated and her biological mother died by suicide.
A report obtained by UWK details horrifying allegations of abuse. The girl told investigators that Gretchen “repeatedly struck her with bats, sticks, firewood, and shoes.” She described one incident in which a shoe strike tore her lip, and Gretchen allegedly cut away the injured portion after attempting to conceal it with Halloween makeup. The girl also reported being hit with a metal baseball bat on her back, face, and jaw, leaving scars and chipped teeth.
The child said she suffered ongoing pain in her back, legs, and hands from beatings and described being stepped on, zip-tied to a chair, and denied access to the bathroom at night. She also recalled that water was thrown on her if she snored.
When West Feliciana Parish deputies brought in Glenn and Gretchen Hanchey for questioning, the report stated that Glenn admitted he would cut the girl’s zip ties each morning to allow her to use the restroom but would reapply them “to avoid angering Gretchen.”
“This arrest is the result of a continuing, ongoing investigation of child abuse allegations we were made aware of earlier this year. This case remains active and we are working diligently to present all the facts for prosecution,” said West Feliciana Parish Sheriff Brian Spillman.
Further details surrounding the ongoing investigation have not yet been released.
Changes to DCFS from this report
In response to UWK’s reporting on this case, the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services has adopted new technology to ensure that no child welfare call goes unanswered.
MORE: DCFS implements new technology to protect children
Under the new system, if a welfare check report does not meet the legal criteria for DCFS involvement, it will now be automatically directed to local law enforcement for follow-up.
This change came after UWK questioned DCFS about whether the agency had received a tip in November 2023 about the girl’s welfare. The report indicated a neighbor had asked for a welfare check after noticing that a once-bright and friendly child had virtually disappeared from sight.
“DCFS does not have a call entered into the Louisiana system in November 2023. DCFS does have a report to the hotline, which was received in January 2024. Based on the details reported, the intake disposition was: Did Not Meet Legal Criteria for DCFS to Investigate / No Action Required,” DCFS Secretary Rebecca Harris told UWK.
Harris emphasized that while the law limits DCFS involvement in some cases, local law enforcement can and should step in when concerns arise. The department implemented the new procedure on Nov. 5, the day after UWK’s report.
“After we received a report from UWK related to the recent case in St. Francisville, it gave us the opportunity to review current practices,” she said. “So, as a result of your request, we implemented a change to our procedures that if we receive a call related to a wellness check of a child, we are going to quick connect and add local law enforcement in so that that report can immediately be transferred to someone who can respond.”
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