Who Are Keisha Epps And Tamra Marshon Stewart? Florida Semi-Truck Child Neglect Case

Keisha Monique Epps, 51, and her fiancé Tamra Marshon Stewart, 37, are Georgia residents who were arrested in Jacksonville, Florida, in August 2026 after investigators accused them of keeping four children in the cab of a semi-truck for years under severely neglectful conditions. Epps, a truck driver, and Stewart each face four counts of child neglect. Court records also say Stewart faces separate capital sexual battery allegations connected to juvenile victims.

Keisha Epps And Tamra Stewart Child Neglect Allegations

Investigators Say Four Children Had Lived In Semi-Truck Cab Since 2019. According to arrest reports, the four children had been living in the cab of the commercial semi-truck driven by Epps since December 2019. Investigators said the children spent the majority of their days inside the vehicle while Epps worked routes between the Atlanta and Miami areas. [FOX News]

Four Children Allegedly Shared A Single Top Bunk Inside Truck. The children told investigators that all four of them shared one mattress on the truck’s top bunk. Because of the limited space, they allegedly had to sleep side-by-side and curled up because they could not stretch out across the length of the bed. [Law & Crime]

Children Allegedly Rarely Allowed Out Even To Use Restroom. Investigators said the children reported being confined to the truck for most of their days and rarely being allowed outside, including when they needed to use a restroom. They also allegedly received inadequate opportunities to shower, move around or exercise outside the vehicle. [News4JAX]

Detective Said Children Walked With An “Unnatural Gait.” When investigators encountered the children, a detective reported that they were walking with what was described as an unnatural gait. The arrest report attributed the condition to the extended amount of time the children had allegedly spent confined inside the truck cab. [FOX News]

Children Allegedly Had Not Attended School For Approximately Five Years. The children told investigators that they had not been allowed to attend school for roughly five years. Authorities found that their last documented enrollment in an accredited school was in November 2020 and said they had instead been directed to use an app that was not an accredited educational institution. [News4JAX]

Investigators Say Children Were Denied Routine Medical And Dental Care. According to the arrest report, the children said they did not receive preventative medical or dental treatment and were not taken for professional care even when they became sick or suffered injuries. [FOX News]

Child Allegedly Suffered Severe Noodle Burn Without Receiving Medical Treatment. One child told investigators that she was badly burned by cooked noodles and that the injury involved substantial bleeding. Authorities allege neither Epps nor Stewart took her for medical treatment and that Epps instead wrapped and later rewrapped the injury. Investigators said the child was left with a permanent scar. [Law & Crime]

One Child Was Diagnosed With Untreated Sexually Transmitted Infection. Investigators reported that one of the children was diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection during a May 2026 examination by a Child Protection Team in Clay County. Authorities allege the infection had not been medically treated before intervention by law enforcement and child-protection officials. [Law & Crime]

Tamra Marshon Stewart Sexual Abuse Allegations

Investigation Into Stewart For Alleged Sexual Battery Led Police To Semi-Truck. Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office detectives were investigating Stewart in connection with a separate sexual battery case when investigators located Stewart at a Forward Air facility and discovered the circumstances involving the children living in the truck. [Law & Crime]

Children Accused Stewart Of Sexual Abuse Inside Semi-Truck. Court records allege Stewart sexually abused juvenile victims, with alleged incidents occurring in the truck while Epps was driving, sleeping or showering. Records say separate capital sexual battery charges involving Stewart were being handled through Florida’s 9th Judicial Circuit and Office of the Statewide Prosecutor. [FOX News]

Stewart Accused Of Punching Children Who Confronted Him About Abuse. The children told investigators that some of them witnessed alleged sexual abuse and confronted Stewart. They accused Stewart of responding by repeatedly punching them in their heads. [Action News Jax]

Investigators Say Epps Did Not Believe Children When They Reported Stewart. According to the arrest report, children told Epps about Stewart’s alleged behavior, but she allegedly refused to believe them, called at least one child derogatory names and continued leaving the children alone with Stewart. [Action News Jax]

Keisha Epps And Tamra Stewart Arrests

Epps And Stewart Arrested On Four Child Neglect Counts Each. Epps and Stewart were arrested on August 6, 2026, and booked into the Duval County Jail. Both were charged with four counts of child neglect, one count associated with each of the four children. The charges are allegations and have not been proven in court. [FOX News]

Epps’ Bond Set At More Than $400,000. Court records showed Epps’ bond totaled $400,012, with $100,003 attached to each child-neglect count. Conditions included GPS monitoring and restrictions on contact with minors, alleged victims, witnesses and her co-defendant. [News4JAX]

Stewart Held Without Bond Amid Sexual Battery Case. Stewart remained in the Duval County Jail without bond as the child-neglect and separate sexual-battery proceedings moved forward. Both defendants were scheduled for another Duval County court appearance on August 27. [FOX News]

Keisha Epps Forward Air Work

Forward Air Says Epps Was Independent Subcontractor, Not Employee. Forward Air said Epps was an independent subcontractor rather than a company employee. The company said it removed her from service and made her ineligible for dispatch while the criminal proceedings are pending. [Action News Jax]

Forward Air Says It Is Cooperating With Investigation. The trucking company said the alleged conduct was inconsistent with its safety standards and values and that it was cooperating with authorities investigating Epps and Stewart. [Action News Jax]