Ontario town in shock after couple charged with keeping sons in cages
Updated: Fri, Jul 06 4:00 PM EDT
BLACKSTOCK, Ont. (CP) - This sleepy Ontario farming village was in shock Friday after two residents were charged in what police call one of the worst cases of child abuse in recent memory.
"People are dumbfounded," said Mike Carlson, who works at a local gas station in the community of approximately 600 people, about 40 kilometres north of Oshawa.
A 49-year-old man and his 40-year-old wife surrendered to police Thursday amid allegations that they kept their two teenaged sons caged in baby cribs wrapped with wire mesh and forced them to wear diapers.
For fear of identifying the youths, the names of their parents were not disclosed.
A police news release alleged the children were shockingly mistreated.
"The youngsters were forced to wear diapers, remained in their cribs for hours, suffered physical punishment and did not receive adequate food," the release said.
Keeping the children locked in cribs allegedly went on "on a daily basis for years," police said.
Few people in town seemed to know much about the family, which has lived in a rented farmhouse on the outskirts of town for about three years.
"I've lived down the street for 15 years and I've never seen them," said Carlson.
"Most people can't believe (the accusations)," said Faye Wilson, whose family operates a local convenience store.
Penny's Mini-Mart was abuzz all day as locals discussed the news of the arrests, Wilson said.
"They're in shock. Nobody ever thought this would happen here."
Neighbours curious to know why the children were rarely seen in the neighbourhood were often told by the father that the boys spent a lot of time playing video games, she added.
Lawrence Van Camp, who rented the couple a three-bedroom home, said the family always kept to themselves and he rarely saw the two boys.
"They've been model tenants," he said in an interview. "They're always polite."
Van Camp described the father as a handy man who always paid the rent on time and frequently performed his own repairs on the house.
The children were taken into custody by the Children's Aid Society after a complaint June 29. Police wouldn't say how many years they believed they had been confined to the makeshift cages.
Meanwhile, the couple was scheduled to appear in court Friday in Oshawa for a bail hearing even though the father had to be taken to hospital Thursday after suffering chest pains, said Durham police Sgt. Paul Malik.
"He was sitting down with police officers when he started complaining of pains in his chest," Malik said. "We took him to hospital . . . as he does suffer from medical problems related to his chest."
The parents have each been charged with assault, assault with a weapon, forcible confinement and failing to provide the necessities of life.
The woman faces an additional charge of administering a noxious substance.
The nature of the substance hasn't been revealed.
terrible, just terrible.
*kat. <-- this made her ill.
Updated: Fri, Jul 06 4:00 PM EDT
BLACKSTOCK, Ont. (CP) - This sleepy Ontario farming village was in shock Friday after two residents were charged in what police call one of the worst cases of child abuse in recent memory.
"People are dumbfounded," said Mike Carlson, who works at a local gas station in the community of approximately 600 people, about 40 kilometres north of Oshawa.
A 49-year-old man and his 40-year-old wife surrendered to police Thursday amid allegations that they kept their two teenaged sons caged in baby cribs wrapped with wire mesh and forced them to wear diapers.
For fear of identifying the youths, the names of their parents were not disclosed.
A police news release alleged the children were shockingly mistreated.
"The youngsters were forced to wear diapers, remained in their cribs for hours, suffered physical punishment and did not receive adequate food," the release said.
Keeping the children locked in cribs allegedly went on "on a daily basis for years," police said.
Few people in town seemed to know much about the family, which has lived in a rented farmhouse on the outskirts of town for about three years.
"I've lived down the street for 15 years and I've never seen them," said Carlson.
"Most people can't believe (the accusations)," said Faye Wilson, whose family operates a local convenience store.
Penny's Mini-Mart was abuzz all day as locals discussed the news of the arrests, Wilson said.
"They're in shock. Nobody ever thought this would happen here."
Neighbours curious to know why the children were rarely seen in the neighbourhood were often told by the father that the boys spent a lot of time playing video games, she added.
Lawrence Van Camp, who rented the couple a three-bedroom home, said the family always kept to themselves and he rarely saw the two boys.
"They've been model tenants," he said in an interview. "They're always polite."
Van Camp described the father as a handy man who always paid the rent on time and frequently performed his own repairs on the house.
The children were taken into custody by the Children's Aid Society after a complaint June 29. Police wouldn't say how many years they believed they had been confined to the makeshift cages.
Meanwhile, the couple was scheduled to appear in court Friday in Oshawa for a bail hearing even though the father had to be taken to hospital Thursday after suffering chest pains, said Durham police Sgt. Paul Malik.
"He was sitting down with police officers when he started complaining of pains in his chest," Malik said. "We took him to hospital . . . as he does suffer from medical problems related to his chest."
The parents have each been charged with assault, assault with a weapon, forcible confinement and failing to provide the necessities of life.
The woman faces an additional charge of administering a noxious substance.
The nature of the substance hasn't been revealed.
terrible, just terrible.
*kat. <-- this made her ill.
Facebook
Twitter