Five adults have been arrested in the state of Kentucky after police say they discovered a child confined in a locked enclosure.
The Carrollton Police Department announced the discovery Monday.
“On November 4, 2024, Detective Roberts, working from a prior tip from the community of a child possible being held in a caged area responded to 706 7th street in Carrollton,” the Carrolton PD’s Facebook post reads.
The police department alleges officers came across a disturbing scene during a visit to the home.
“Upon arrival, Detective Roberts and Sgt. Taylor located a male child, unclothed and under the age of 3 that was locked behind a wooden and metal enclosure that was secured with a padlock,” the department’s post continues.
“Detective Roberts, Sgt Taylor, Chief Willhoite, Assistant Chief Dews and Sgt. Dews secured the scene and executed a search warrant on the property.”
Other children, apparently living in better conditions, were taken from the home.
Five adults were arrested and moved to the Carroll County Detention Center: Brenda Chilton, 71, of Carrollton; William Mahoney, 72, of Carrollton; Codey Johnson, 29, of Carrollton; Tammy Simmons, 52, of Carrollton; and Shelby Turocy, 28, of Ghent.
Chilton, Mahoney, Johnson and Simmons were each charged with criminal abuse in the first degree and wanton endangerment in the first degree.
Should these suspects face harsher charges?
The criminal abuse charge is a felony, as is the wanton endangerment charge.
Turocy shares the two felony charges with the other adults, but has also been hit with counts of possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
The police department provided photographs of the suspects in the post, which can be seen below.
The child was reportedly being held under revolting conditions in the cage.
“What few toys were in there were heavily soiled with feces and urine, and a futon style bed in that location was heavily soiled,” Detective Roberts told WAVE-TV.
Roberts claims one of the suspects made a shocking statement during the course of the investigation, saying the child was “rambunctious.”
“There was one of them that even commented after we got the child out, cleaned him up and got him clothes and said ‘Can you see why that lock is on there now?’ to which I replied ‘No ma’am I sure don’t,’” Roberts said.
The house, where multiple dogs were also found, has been condemned due to what was discovered inside.
The nature of the suspects’ relationships is unclear, but police say all but Simmons, who resided across the street, lived in the home.
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