Editor’s Note: Due to the graphic nature of the allegations described in official records, portions of this report have been edited for general audiences. An uncensored version containing additional details is available to subscribers at TheSaltySoldierUncensored.com.
An active-duty U.S. Air Force airman assigned to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and his girlfriend are facing multiple felony child-abuse charges following a months-long investigation into the alleged abuse and neglect of three young children, according to police and court records.
Benton Christopher Fezer, 25, and Kaycee Rose Jenkins, 27, were arrested on January 20, 2026, following an investigation led by the Tucson Police Department into allegations of severe physical abuse, malnutrition, and dehydration involving Fezer’s daughters, all under the age of six.
Police say the investigation began on December 30, 2025, when officers were dispatched to Tucson Medical Center after a five-year-old girl was brought in by her father and his girlfriend with extensive injuries. According to interim charging documents and police records, the child was critically ill and displayed signs of prolonged abuse and neglect.
Medical staff documented bruising to the child’s clitoris, labia, spine, hips, shoulder blades, buttocks, legs, and forehead. She reportedly weighed only 33 pounds and was described by physicians as having a “gaunt face with sunken eyes.” Doctors determined the child was suffering from severe dehydration, constipation, dangerously low potassium levels, and elevated sodium, conditions they said had likely persisted for more than two weeks. The child remained in intensive care for nine days.
According to police and court filings, Fezer and Jenkins told investigators the child began having difficulty walking on December 29 and claimed they believed she was “faking” her symptoms. They also attributed behavioral changes and loss of appetite to emotional distress following the departure of the child’s mother earlier in 2025. However, investigators noted that the child gained approximately eight pounds after being removed from the home and placed into state care.
Detectives with TPD’s Child Physical Abuse Unit, working alongside crime-scene personnel, executed multiple search warrants at the family’s residence on the 2800 block of South Bennett Court, located on Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. Police say the searches resulted in the seizure of forensic and digital evidence, including video footage that investigators allege contradicts the suspects’ statements.
According to investigators, video evidence allegedly shows Fezer striking one of the children, pulling her hair, and throwing her with force. Police also allege the couple admitted to restricting the children’s access to water in order to reduce bathroom use, despite knowing the child would gag or vomit when attempting to drink.
Two additional children — a four-year-old girl and a three-year-old girl — were identified as siblings during the investigation. All three children have since been removed from the home and placed in the custody of the Arizona Department of Child Safety.
Following an extensive review of digital evidence, police arrested Fezer and Jenkins on multiple felony charges. According to the Pima County Adult Detention Complex, Fezer is being held on a $500,000 bond and faces:
- Three counts of child abuse/domestic violence involving serious physical injury or death (Class 2 felonies)
- Nineteen counts of child abuse/domestic violence (Class 4 felonies)
Jenkins is being held on a $50,000 bond and faces:
- Two counts of child abuse/domestic violence involving serious physical injury or death (Class 2 felonies)
- Two counts of child abuse/domestic violence (Class 4 felonies)
Both suspects made initial court appearances late on January 20. As of publication, formal filings were not yet publicly visible in the county court system, a delay that can occur when felony charges remain under prosecutorial review prior to transfer to Pima County Superior Court.
The 355th Wing confirmed Fezer’s arrest in a written statement, saying the unit is aware of the situation and is cooperating with law-enforcement authorities. The Air Force declined to provide further details, citing the ongoing investigation.
Police confirmed that investigators received assistance from the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations, as well as multiple specialized TPD units, including the Forensic Electronic Media Unit.
The investigation remains active. Prosecutors have not yet announced whether additional charges may be filed or whether the case will proceed through civilian court exclusively or involve parallel military proceedings under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
The Salty Soldier will continue to monitor court filings, custody status, and any administrative or disciplinary actions taken by the Air Force as this case develops.
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