An Ohio couple now faces criminal charges after police say they let their sons fight other kids at a cemetery, and one parent joined the brawl himself before hitting a teenager with his car while fleeing.
Story Snapshot
- Wood County, Ohio parents Rachel Bell Ankney and Dustin Willmarth face charges tied to a group fight at Weston Cemetery.
- Court documents say Willmarth drove the couple’s two sons to the cemetery with Ankney’s permission “for a large fight.”
- Police allege Willmarth struck and kicked juveniles, then hit a 13-year-old boy with his car while driving away.
- Several juveniles, including the couple’s own sons, suffered minor injuries in the fight.
- Ankney has pleaded not guilty; both adults face child endangerment charges.
What Court Documents Say Happened
A probable-cause affidavit reviewed by Law&Crime says Dustin Willmarth “knowingly” drove his son and his girlfriend’s son to Weston Cemetery in Wood County, Ohio. He allegedly did this to let the boys “engage in a physical fight” with other kids. The affidavit states Willmarth had permission from Rachel Bell Ankney, his girlfriend, to arrange the confrontation.
Police say the fight involved more than just the two boys. A witness told investigators Willmarth himself joined in, “striking and kicking juveniles that were present at the scene,” according to the affidavit. Several children, including the couple’s own sons, ended up with minor injuries from the brawl. Local station WKRC reports authorities have not said what sparked the confrontation in the first place.
Parents encouraged their sons to fight other children at cemetery, one of the adults jumped in and pummeled kids — and hit a teen with his car: Police https://t.co/fZR59QhQaS
— Law & Crime (@lawcrimenews) September 10, 2026
Car Strikes Teen During Getaway
The situation escalated further as Willmarth tried to leave. The affidavit says that while fleeing the cemetery in his car, he struck a 13-year-old boy, causing minor injuries. Wood County police then charged Willmarth with felonious assault and endangering children. Rachel Bell Ankney, 41, of Weston, was charged with endangering children and contributing to the unruliness or delinquency of a child. She pleaded not guilty.
Charges Filed Against Both Parents
Willmarth, 34, of Bowling Green, was arrested first in connection with the incident. Ankney’s charges followed, with police accusing her of failing to step in and stop the fight she had allowed to happen. Both cases move forward in Wood County courts. As is standard, an arrest reflects an allegation, not a finished court case, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted.
Why This Story Resonates Beyond Ohio
Cases involving parents and organized youth violence tend to draw fast, strong reactions from the public. Research on crime reporting shows that early police allegations often become the accepted public story well before all court records come out, especially in cases involving minors, where names, statements, and video may be redacted or delayed for privacy reasons. That pattern does not change what investigators allege happened here. It does explain why the public often forms a full picture only after the earliest police account, not before it.
What makes this case stand out is not just that children fought. It’s that the adults responsible for stopping it are accused of causing it, and then hurting a child themselves while trying to get away. For parents across the political spectrum already uneasy about the state of adult accountability and child safety, this case lands as a stark example of grown-ups failing the most basic duty: protecting kids instead of putting them in danger.
Court proceedings for both Ankney and Willmarth are ongoing in Wood County. No trial date has been publicly reported yet. As the case moves through the system, additional details about what sparked the fight, and the full scope of injuries involved, may become part of the public record.