ROANE COUNTY, Tenn. — Michael Anthony Gray wore a jail jumpsuit at his preliminary hearing on Friday.
He and his wife, Shirley, appeared in court Friday via live feeds. Both waived their preliminary hearings and the two will remain in jail on their pre-existing bonds.
The two are accused of abusing their adoptive children, feeding them a starvation diet and burying one of the children in his Roane County barn. Two of the children died.
Michael Gray's defense lawyer wanted permission for him to wear street clothes so he would not look like a criminal.
RELATED: Records: Roane couple charged with abusing adopted kids had history of unpaid bills, bankruptcies
The judge ruled against it saying bringing different clothes into the jail could lead to coronavirus spreading.
The investigation into the Grays includes at least two counties and involves at least five adoptive children, records show.
It began in May in Roane County after one of the Grays' adoptive children, an 11-year-old boy who appeared much younger, was found unattended in the neighborhood.
Authorities then spoke with Michael Gray, who eventually admitted the couple had several adoptive children who'd been kept in fetid conditions in the basement, according to records.
One of the children died, and Gray Sr. buried her on the property, authorities allege. Remains thought to be Heather "Sophie" Gray were recovered.
Authorities also recovered a boy's remains from the yard of a home shared by the Grays and their family members, and the couple continued to draw monetary benefits meant for the care of the two children who died, records state.
Charges have not been filed yet in Knox County. In Roane County, the two are facing charges of aggravated child abuse, neglect, kidnapping, and abuse of a corpse.