Neighbors sickened after child wearing handcuffs escapes from home to run for help: ‘I wish I knew about it’
A West Virginia woman has been arrested after a handcuffed little girl ran from her home to a neighbor for help.
Laura Southworth, 54, is charged with child abuse and unlawful restraint after her eight-year-old granddaughter escaped from their home in handcuffs.
Southworth reportedly admitted to handcuffing the child Sunday night because she “made a mess,” “tried to leave without permission” and “stole food.”
According to an insider for Peoplethe girl was able to slip the handcuff off her right wrist, but not her left, which was reportedly securely fastened.
Laura Southworth was arrested on charges of child abuse and unlawful restraint after her eight-year-old granddaughter fled their home in handcuffs to a neighbor for help
Their home was “cluttered with little room to move around,” according to Charleston, West Virginia, police
The eight-year-old was reportedly able to slip the handcuff from her right wrist, but was unable to free her left wrist
Charleston police said the girl left her home just before 9 a.m., and the criminal complaint noted that the handcuffs remained on the child for 13 hours, reported WOW.
The girl was one of four children living in the home under Southworth’s care. Two were her teenage children and her grandchildren, aged three and eight.
CPD also said all four were homeschooled and the house was “extremely cluttered” with little room to move around.
Neighbor Mike Leadri said: ‘It makes me sick to know something serious happened so close to me. I wish I knew’
The girl was one of four children living in the house under Southworth’s care, two of whom were her teenage children and the other two her young grandchildren aged three and eight.
Southworth, held on $10,000 bond, has yet to enter a plea and has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Oct. 2
Neighbor Mike Leadri told Eyewitness News, “It sickens me knowing something bad happened so close to me. I wish I knew about it.’
He revealed that neighbors rarely saw the children, adding: “Those people are quite private. I wish I could have prevented it.’
The circumstances have once again called into question the safety of home-schooled children, following the death of 14-year-old Kyneddi Miller in August, who was found dead ’emaciated’ on the floor.
She has yet to enter a plea, People reported, and is currently being held on $10,000 bond, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for October 2.