<p>An 11-year-old girls parents tied her up in the garage, starved her and beat her with an umbrella until she died during the Thanksgiving holiday, police said.</p><p>The girl tried to escape her home in Stockbridge just south of Atlanta, but she was only punished more severely _ she was left without food, water, a bathroom or a bed, police said.</p><p>The girls father, 37-year-old Rodney Michael Reaves, and her stepmother, 38-year-old Charlott Lynett Reaves, were arrested Monday and charged with felony murder and cruelty to children. Bond hasnt been set.</p><p>The girl, Joella Reaves, was beaten over her entire body with an umbrella and paddle for several days, according to the arrest warrant. Her cause of death was listed as blunt force trauma.</p><p>When she attempted to escape, she was hogtied. She was left with no food or water or sanitary or sleeping necessities, the warrant said.</p><p>Joella was being punished by her parents, according to the warrant. Police, attorneys and child welfare officials wouldnt say what she had done to anger her parents.</p><p>Rodney Reaves made the 911 call for help Monday morning, said Lt. Joe Tammaro of Henry County police. Joella was dead when emergency workers arrived.</p><p>She made very good grades. She was a very personable student, said Jim Davis, principal at Eagles Landing Middle School, where Joella was a sixth-grader. She had her circle of friends, she was relatively quiet.</p><p>Rodney Reaves, a gunners mate on the USS Wasp based in Norfolk, Va., said he is innocent, said his attorney, Bruce Harvey.</p><p>Mr. Reaves absolutely denies any liability for the tragic death of his daughter, Harvey said. We categorically deny that.</p><p>Harvey declined comment about events leading to the girls death.</p><p>An attorney for Charlott Reaves, Michael Antoniolli, said its too soon to make a statement. Charlott Reaves works as a vascular ultrasound technician at a local hospital.</p><p>The Reaves family has no history of child abuse, said Phyllis Shrader, director of the Henry County Department of Family and Childrens Services. Joellas brother was put in state custody.</p><p>Neighbors decorated the mailbox in front of the Reaves home with balloons, stuffed animals and angels, but few said they knew the family well.</p><p>Its a quiet neighborhood, everyone just comes home and does their thing, said Montana Artkhaxa, who lives seven houses down the street in what he called a suburban, hardworking neighborhood. I dont see them out much. ... Its tragic what happened.</p>
