Florida police arrested a married couple for allegedly forcing their 13-year-old son to live locked in a small structure in their garage.
Tracy and Timothy Ferriter were both arrested on charges of aggravated child abuse after police determined they had forced their adopted child to live in a structure that was 8 feet wide and 8 feet long since at least 2017, the Jupiter Police Department said in a Tuesday statement. The unidentified child was allowed to attend school but otherwise was locked in the structure, with the parents delivering meals and providing a bucket for bathroom use, officials said.
Detectives arrived at the Ferriters’ home on Jan. 30 after the boy reportedly ran away. Tracy Ferriter allowed one of the detectives into the house, where he noticed the structure in the garage, which Ferriter said was a small office, according to the post.
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“The structure had a doorknob and deadbolt, both locking from the outside as well as a light switch only on the exterior,” the JPD said. “Within the structure was a camera, mattress, and a bucket. Ferriter explained the structure was utilized as an office or for storage space.”
Authorities eventually found the adopted son at school on Jan. 31 and from an interview determined that he was “physically abused and forcibly confined to live within the garage structure by his adopted parents.”
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Police said the parents have been transported to the Palm Beach County Jail, where they are being held on charges of aggravated child abuse. The other three children living in the home have been removed by Child Protective Services as authorities investigate, the Facebook post said.
JPD has not yet responded to the Washington Examiner‘s request for a photo of the parents.
