The parents and great-aunt of a 9-year-old boy in Lexington, North Carolina, were arrested on multiple charges of neglect and abuse after the child was found in a dog cage.
According to a press release issued by the Davidson County Sheriff's Office, police responded to an anonymous call on October 19, alleging that a child was in a dog kennel and was kept there overnight.
When police arrived on the scene, they found the young boy in the cage and recovered two more children from inside the home.
On November 7, a grand jury issued 19 indictments to Sarah and Jonathan Starr and Sarah's aunt Shelley Barnes, who owns the Lexington home where the boy was found.
Sarah Starr, the boy's stepmother, was charged with 11 counts, including negligence and child abuse.
Jonathan Starr was also charged with multiple counts of negligence and child abuse, and both their bonds were set at $1 million each. Barnes was also charged with five counts, including assault on a child and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Her bond was set to $300,000.
TV station WGHP reported that the boy was found outside wearing only a T-shirt, jeans, and no shoes after a night when temperatures reached below freezing. The child allegedly told police on the scene that he did not have a room in the house "because he lived outside."
The boy and two other children found in the house were taken to a nearby hospital.
Law enforcement also had two additional children removed from school so they could be evaluated by medical professionals, according to the press release from the Davidson County Sheriff's Office.
All five children are currently in the custody of Davidson County Social Services.
It appears that neighbors were the ones who noticed the alleged neglect and decided to call police. According to WBTW News 13, the caller mentioned that her husband had given the child food “in the past.” This points to a potential history of abuse if the statement is true.
When on the scene, police were approached by a man who said the young boy had been in the cage since 10:30 p.m. the night before. The man said, according to warrants, that he brought the child snacks and a coat. According to PerezHilton.com, search warrants also indicate that the child had been living outside since April.
According to WBTW News 13, when the boy's stepmother originally saw police on the property from inside the house, she simply walked away and turned off the lights. Police later forced entry into the property and detained her.
