Robert Hohn, 42, and Shannon Watterson, 40, were charged with child abuse, conspiracy, unlawful imprisonment and endangering the welfare of a child Monday.
The Delaware, US, couple was indicted for allegedly locking their 12-year-old son in his bedroom for three months.
Hohn's son (and Watterson's stepson) had been locked in his room from September until he escaped in late November.
The parents allegedly failed to feed him regularly, provide medical care and enrol him in adequate schooling, according to the Newark Post.
The boy was reportedly only allowed to leave his room to use the bathroom, according to New Castle County police.
The malnourished, bruised and barefoot child escaped from the house and fled to a neighbour's home.
Hohn and Watterson, who have been incarcerated since their Nov. 28 arrest, are the first to be arrested under Delaware's new child-abuse statute, said Delaware Attorney General Joseph R. "Beau" Biden III.
"Too many children are victimized by abuse and neglect, often at the hands of those who are responsible for their care," said Biden.
"It's not a child's responsibility to protect him- or herself, it's ours. Fortunately, our new child-abuse statute is a powerful tool that we have used in this case and will continue to use to hold offenders accountable and better protect kids."
- NYDailyNews
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