A mother and her apparent boyfriend have been arrested after police found two young children were found chained up inside a Virginia home.
Wendi Del Cid Rodriguez, 46, and Franklin Viera Guevara, 29, are facing two counts of child neglect, two counts of child cruelty and two counts of abduction after two boys, ages seven and nine, were found chained to a post by their ankles.
The children had visible marks on their ankles that officers said were consistent with the chains, Fox 5 reported.
The apparent couple reportedly told investigators they chained the boys up for ‘short periods’ of time in an effort to ‘scare them’ into not leaving the home.
Rodriguez has been released on bond, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for October 2. Guevara remains in the Fairfax County prison without bond.
Wendi Del Cid Rodriguez, 46, (left) and Franklin Viera Guevara, 29, (right) have been arrested after police found two young boys, ages seven and nine, were found chained to a post by their ankles inside the apparent couple’s Groveton, Virginia home
Fairfax County police were called to an apartment in the 6700 block of Tower Drive (pictured) on August 15 for reports of alleged child neglect. When they arrived on scene, officers knocked on the door and could hear the sound of chains rattling from inside. The door was opened and officers found two boys chained at their ankles to a post
Fairfax County police were called to an apartment in the 6700 block of Tower Drive in Groveton on August 15 for reports of alleged child neglect.
When they arrived on scene, officers knocked on the door and could hear the sound of chains rattling from inside, according to a criminal complaint obtained by Fox 5.
The door was opened and officers found two boys chained at their ankles to a post. A sleeping cot was placed by the chain.
Police were informed of the alleged neglect after being contacted by the sister of one of the boys, the court documents state.
The child reportedly texted his a picture of his chained ankle to his sister from a roommate’s phone. She then called 911.
The boys were left ‘unsupervised and restrained’ when Rodriguez and Guevara were not home, the roommate told police.
Guevara is scheduled to have a bond hearing today and a competency hearing has been set for next month.