Imprisoned 2-year-old found in closet with furniture against door, Florida cops say

A Florida couple is facing child neglect charges after visitors to their home found a 2-year-old imprisoned in a closet, according to police.

The discovery was made around 4 p.m. on Wednesday, May 29, at a single-family home in Port St. Lucie, police said in a news release. Port St. Lucie is about a 110-mile drive north from Miami.

Investigators say officers were called to the home by the Department of Children and Families, which was investigating accusations of neglect involving four children.

“Officers found that a 2-year-old child was trapped in a 2.5 (foot by) 8 (foot) closet with no light in the closet,” police said. “The door to the closet had baby gates, dog gates, headboards, pieces of wood, and chairs tied together with bed sheets and belts blocking the closet door.”

The child’s condition was not released and police did not say how long the imprisonment lasted.

“They also found a 2-month-old newborn with severe diaper rash from the thigh to the lower back that required hospitalization,” police said. “The investigation revealed the child had not seen a doctor since birth.”

The four children in the home ranged from 8 weeks to 3 years, officials said.

A 28-year-old man and 27-year-old woman who are “responsible for the children” were arrested at the home and each was charged with two counts of child neglect, police said.

“The remaining children were temporarily placed in the care of a responsible family member while DCF continues their investigation,” officials said.

This story was originally published May 30, 2024 at 1:35 PM with the headline "Imprisoned 2-year-old found in closet with furniture against door, Florida cops say."