In a shocking and saddening case of child abuse, a 17-year-old boy was found handcuffed to a pole in his basement in Missouri. Neighbors of the teenager began to worry when they had not seen him in weeks, but when they asked his family where he was, they said he was out of town. The neighbors began to have serious concerns when someone saw the boy handcuffed to a door in the house. Even though the family said that the boy was “mentally challenged” and would attack his mother, the neighbor chose to call the child abuse hotline.
When law enforcement arrived at the scene, the boy’s stepmother answered the door. They asked her to remain upstairs while they went into the basement to check on the boy. As they were walking down the stairs, the teenager began saying over and over “I didn’t do anything.” They turned on the lights to discover a frail and emaciated boy in dirty clothes handcuffed to a support pole. He only had thin blankets to sleep on and was shivering from cold.
The teen stated that he was taken out of school in September of 2012 and locked in the basement without being given adequate food. He managed to escape to get food, but was then locked back in the basement, this time to a bed. When he dismantled the bed and again escaped to get food, he was handcuffed to the support pole. His family is now facing charges of neglect and abuse. Child abuse cases are not only criminal cases, but civil as well. If you or your child suffered abuse, you should contact an attorney to determine what your legal rights are. Please, talk to a personal injury lawyer from our team at Henry, Williams & Kinder, P.C. today!