A mother and father in Iowa were arrested after their 10-year-old child was allegedly found malnourished and locked up inside of their home.
Andrew C. Warrington and Kellie J. Warrington have been charged with first-degree kidnapping, child endangerment, willful injury and neglect or abandonment of a dependent person, according to Scott County jail records viewed by Us Weekly.
The victim’s identity has not been publicly revealed due to them being a minor. However, KWQC reported that the child was just 10 years old.
Andrew, 48, and Kellie, 47, allegedly “knowingly and secretly confined” the child in a bedroom for an extended period of time, according to Scott County arrest affidavits viewed by Our Quad Cities. The conditions of the bedroom were stark and did not include any furniture for the child to rest on.
The parents allegedly didn’t allow the child to use the bathroom, as well as deprived them of light, food and water during their confinement.
Andrew and Kellie reportedly concealed the situation by not allowing the child to attend medical appointments or mental health appointments and removed them from church activities, per the affidavits.
The lack of stimulation “for large periods of time [resulted] in both mental and physical torture” for the victim, according to court records viewed by Our Quad Cities. The child was also said to have suffered head injuries during their time trapped in the room.
“Without medical intervention, (the child) was at risk of death,” the affidavits claimed.
After authorities learned of the situation, the child was treated at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, according to KWQC. The current status of their health is unknown.
It is not currently clear how authorities became aware of the situation or how long an investigation into the matter lasted before Andrew and Kellie were arrested.
Andrew and Kellie were arrested on Friday, June 5, and are currently being held at Scott County Jail on $2 million cash-only bonds as of Tuesday, June 9. Both Andrew and Kellie are expected to attend a preliminary hearing on June 16.
It is not currently clear if Andrew and Kellie have entered pleas or retained legal counsel following their arrests. The Scott County Sheriff’s Department did not immediately respond to Us’ request for comment regarding the arrests.
The investigation into the case remains ongoing.
If you suspect child abuse, please call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or visit ChildHelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential, and the hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
