A woman in West Virginia has been arrested after a little girl ran from home in handcuffs to a neighbor for help.
Laura Southworth, 54, is being charged with child abuse and unlawful restraint after her eight-year-old granddaughter escaped their home wearing handcuffs.
Southworth reportedly admitted to handcuffing the child on Sunday evening because she was ‘making a mess,’ ‘trying to leave without permission,’ and ‘stealing food’.
According to an insider for People, the girl was able to slip the handcuff off her right wrist but not her left which they added was reportedly secured tightly.
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, according to the Charleston Police Department in West Virginia, was ‘messy with little room to move around’
The eight-year-old reportedly was able to slip the handcuff off her right wrist, but unable to free her left
The Charleston Police Department said that the girl left her home just before 9am, and the criminal complaint determined the handcuffs stayed on the child for 13 hours, reported WOWK.
The girl was one of four children living in Southworth’s custody in the home. Two were her teenage children, and her grandchildren aged three and eight years old.
The CPD also said all four were homeschooled and the home was ‘extremely messy’ with little room to move around.
Neighbor, Mike Leadri, said: ‘It makes me sick knowing that something that serious was happening so close to me. I wish I knew about it’
The girl was one of four children living in Southworth’s custody in the home, two of which were her teenage children and the other two were her young grandchildren of three and eight years old
Southworth, held on a $10,000 bond, has yet to enter a plea and has a preliminary hearing scheduled for October 2
Neighbor, Mike Leadri, told Eyewitness News: ‘It makes me sick knowing that something that serious was happening so close to me. I wish I knew about it.’
He revealed the neighbors rarely saw the children and added: ‘Those people are pretty keep to themselves. I wish I could’ve prevented it.’
The circumstances have again called into question the safety of children who are homeschooled, 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, reported People, and is currently being held on a $10,000 bond with a preliminary hearing scheduled for October 2.
