Iowa grandparents face accusations of child neglect following reports of a 4-year-old boy being allegedly kept in a makeshift cage.
Authorities in Fremont County, Iowa, have apprehended two grandparents following allegations of a child being confined in an improvised enclosure.
Elvin Leroy Culley, 78, and Martha Karen Perry-Culley, 61, are facing charges related to the alleged neglect and endangerment of a dependent person and a child.
In July, Dustin Perry and Lindsay Hamilton were taken into custody for allegations of child neglect and endangerment following an incident where a 4-year-old boy managed to escape from a confined space.
According to the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, deputies discovered a 4-year-old child in a residence in Hamburg, Iowa, surrounded by a disturbing combination of human and animal feces on July 25.
Perry, 26, and Hamilton, 26, reportedly entrusted their children to relatives, providing specific instructions regarding the care of their 4-year-old, who has developmental disabilities. Allegations suggest that the child was kept in what authorities describe as a makeshift cage.
As per the sheriff’s office, the cage was constructed using a pack-and-play and baby gate, secured with zip ties.
Authorities discovered an additional cage, resembling the previous one, inside a walk-in closet at the residence in Shenandoah.
Sheriff Kevin Aistrope expressed his shock at the severity of this child abuse case, describing it as one of the most distressing he has encountered.