George Barnes and Nancie Barnes were arrested after police say they locked their adopted children in the bathroom as punishment. The authorities began investigating the couple when a school liaison officer informed them of abuse of the couple’s five adopted children.
According to court documents, it has showed that each of the five adopted children were locked in the home’s bathroom for long periods of time as a sort of punishment.
Police say the children’s ages range from nine to 18-years-old. While the children were kept inside the bathroom, police say the children had to stand up and read. Baby monitors were also placed in the bathroom to make sure the children were doing what they were told to do and their meals were brought to them.
The 5 adopted children were allowed to go out and go to school and could only leave the bathroom to sleep, but had to return to the bathroom the next morning or afternoon, depending on their schedule with regards to schooling. The punishment began September 2015 and lasted for 3 long months until authorities began their investigation in December, same time where the children were removed from the home.
The abusive adopted parents have both been charged with two counts of cruelty to persons, second-degree unlawful restraint, and risk of injury to a minor, both were released on a $35,000 bonds.
One dismayed neighbor who did not want to be identified expressed his disappointment saying, “It’s kind of tough to say ‘hey let them off the hook. Put it to you this way, they’re lucky I’m not the judge.”
