A Bonners Ferry couple facing multiple sexual abuse charges against two of their now-adult children were both denied reduction of their million-dollar bond at their arraignment hearing today in Boundary County and they remain incarcerated in the Bonner County jail.
Richard Cowell III, 54, charged with rape of a child 16 or under and criminal conspiracy, and Katherine Cowell, 51, charged with two counts of lewd conduct with a child under 16, who owned and ran Little Zoo Keeper Day Care from their home on Peterson Hill, both face life in prison if convicted.
On February 6, 2025, the victim(s), two of the Cowell’s now adult children, came forward to law enforcement officer Bonners Ferry City Police Chief, Willie Cowell, brother of Richard Cowell III, with allegations of sexual abuse. That same evening, after probable cause was established, both Cowells were taken into custody by the Boundary County Sheriff’s office.
At the arraignment today, Judge Susie Jensen heard and accepted as both defendants separately pled not guilty, and she accepted for consideration a motion for change of venue for both defendants and denied a motion for a reduction in bond to $20,000 for Katherine and $30,000 for Richard due to their presence in the community and the need to care for their property and earn a living to support their minor children, all of them taken in by Willie Cowell and his wife, Amanda.
Richard and Katherine, separately but as co-defendants pled, “Not Guilty.”
Prosecuting attorney Sarah Hyde argued against the request for bond reduction, saying that the reasoning for reduction is not applicable due to likely severing of ties with community members.
“People are incarcerated all the time,” she said, and went on to request the bond to remain at one million dollars each due to the nature of the crime and the risk of them fleeing.
Jensen sided with the prosecution.
“The crime you have been accused of are one of the most egregious crimes a person can commit,” she said. “The motion to reduce bond is denied.”
Jensen set pre-trial conference for Richard at 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 21, and for Katherine at 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 18, both at the Boundary County Courthouse. The location could change if the motion for change of venue is approved.
Trial for Richard is set to start on June 9, and trial for Katherine on July 14. Both are expected to last four to five days.