Most kids are usually overjoyed to be adopted and have a new family that loves and cares for them, this was not the case for a 13 year old boy.
A Florida couple was charged with child abuse after they allegedly forced their 13 year old adopted son to live in a 8’x8′ box located in their home’s garage.
Jupiter police have placed Tracy and Timothy Ferriter into custody after investigators said the child was forced to live in the structure with a mattress and a bucket since 2017, when the child was first adopted, the New York Post report. A deadbolt and a light switch were installed on the outside of the box and a camera was installed inside the structure, police said.
The arrest came after Tracey reported her son missing on Jan. 28. Days later, on Jan. 30, investigators visited the home and said they found the structure.
They also visited the 13-year-old at Independence Middle School, where they interviewed him and learned of his alleged living conditions, officials said. The boy allegedly told the detectives that he was locked away for up to 18 hours per day.
The child also allegedly said he ran away from the home “because I feel like no one loves me” and that he did not feel safe.
The other children living in the home have been relocated by child protective services.
A neighbor of the couple said they “kept to themselves” and confirmed seeing the structure himself, according to the report.
“We’ve been here for a while now since 2007. So, we knew them. I can’t say we knew them well. They kind of kept to themselves. Yeah, but it’s weird and crazy news,” said Aric Preisendorf.
“It’s a three-car garage. On the single car garage, there was where a room was built in there, but I never went in the house or in the garage. You could see it from the outside,” he added, per the report.
The Ferriters have been charged with aggravated child abuse and false imprisonment and are being held at the Palm Beach County Jail, police said. Their bond has been set at $50,000 by a judge, who also instructed them to have no contact with any of their children.
An attorney representing the Ferriters suggested the couple was innocent of the charges and Tracey told investigators the boy suffered from behavioral issues.
“Law enforcement has an obligation to conduct investigations in an objective and thorough manner. I made information known to the police in order to assist them in the fact-finding process, including evidence from Arizona where this family had lived up until a month ago. This critical evidence was ignored,” said attorney Nellie L. King, according to the report. “In the criminal legal system, the temptation for a community to rush to judge is tempered by the judicial process, a presumption of innocence, and the facts. What Tim and Tracy have lived through the past many years will therefore be presented in court.”
They should be given the death penalty, how cruel and sick.
I propose that the “parents” be placed in an 8′ by 8′ box with a mattress and a bucket and then…
LEFT there. Periodically, the lights might be turned on – not on any timetable, just randomly. The bucket will be emptied and given a quick rinsing periodically, but, again, not on any kind of schedule. A metal cup, chained to the bucket can be used for drinking, IF the water in the bucket is fit for it, otherwise, well, you know… Meanwhile, granola bars can be dumped into the box periodically through a small padlocked opening on the top of the box. The number of bars will vary, without rhyme or reason and will have to last… eh, who knows – at least until the next time someone dumps some more in, whenever that might be. This should continue… until pounding on the sides of the box no longer elicit any response. At that point, the box can be opened and “supportive care” rendered to anyone still alive, until such time as they are reasonably fit enough to be returned to the box. Anyone found to be dead can be left in the box with the remaining inmate until the odor becomes unbearable, whereupon it (or parts of it) can be removed for disposal, whatever may be convenient. This should continue until such time as people lose interest and quit servicing the box. Someone will find ’em at some point.