Honk News (Butte County, CA) – In a shocking revelation, two parents from Nevada have confessed to confining their 11-year-old son, who has autism, in a structure resembling a jail cell for a duration of six years. This disturbing situation came to light when a truancy officer visited their home after the boy failed to attend school.
On Wednesday, Jeffery Scanlan and Misty Scanlan entered guilty pleas to a misdemeanor charge of child neglect, according to online court records.
On April 23, a truancy officer visited the home to investigate the situation of a boy who had not attended school for more than a week.
A report reveals that the truancy officer informed police that no one was responding at the door, despite the audible sounds of a child screaming and a gate rattling from within the premises.
Approximately 40 minutes later, Jeffery Scanlan opened the door and informed the police that his children had missed school due to illness, as stated in the report. The defendant consented when the officer inquired about entering to check on the children. The officer observed a substantial enclosure featuring metal bars and secured doors, described in the report as “reminiscent of a jail cell.”
A young boy clad solely in a diaper was found within the enclosure. The enclosure was found to be dirty, with waste present on both the floor and walls.
Misty Scanlan informed authorities that she had ceased cleaning the enclosure three weeks prior, citing an increase in their workload as the reason.
Jeffery Scanlan confirmed that the boy is his son and mentioned that he has a significant diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. According to the report, three additional children were present inside. A report indicated that one child was hospitalized, while three others were taken into custody by Child Protective Services and placed with relatives.
The officer observed that the residence was in a state of significant disorder and emitted a strong odor of waste. A bedroom was described as being devoid of furniture, featuring holes in the walls, litter scattered everywhere, excrement on both the walls and floor, and an exterior lock that could not be opened from within the room, according to the report.
The Scanlans reported to authorities that they secured their daughter, who is described as a “escape artist” and has autism, in her room at night and used duct tape to attach the top of her shirt to her diaper to stop her from accessing her feces. In response to inquiries from law enforcement regarding their failure to seek assistance for their children, the father expressed uncertainty about how to begin and a reluctance to invite unfamiliar individuals into their home, as reported by Fox News, referencing the police documentation.
The agency noted that although the couple expressed their efforts in managing their circumstances, their statements revealed a consistent inability to obtain or pursue necessary support for the challenges they faced with their children.
Sentencing is scheduled for March, according to online court records.