Virginia mother charged with cruelty, neglect after kids found chained in apartment

Associated Press

FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) — A mother and her partner have been charged with child abuse and child cruelty after police found two kids chained by the ankle in a northern Virginia apartment. The 47-year-old mother and 29-year old man, who live in Fairfax County, were arrested last month. According to charging documents in Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, the two told police they would chain the 9-year-old boy and his 7-year-old sibling by the ankle to “scare them” so they wouldn’t leave the apartment. Court records show an older sister of the boys called 911 after the 9-year-old boy was able to text her a photo of his chained foot. The mother and her partner have a pretrial hearing next month.