Florida Parents Arrested for Child Abuse After Restraining Daughter in Playhouse

In case you weren’t aware by now, Florida seems to have an inexplicable knack for weird people who take center stage in the news cycle with strange or inappropriate behavior. In this case, a radiologist and his wife were arrested for child abuse after authorities found that they would routinely restrain their 12-year-old daughter with zipties in her playhouse.

On December 27, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s office responded to a potential kidnapping call when the daughter of Eugenio and Victoria Erquiaga appeared at a neighbor’s house with her arms and ankles bound together. 12 News reported that the girl told police that the ties were placed on her by her parents, and that they would regularly lock her in a playhouse, which also served as her bedroom.

Authorities found that playhouse was 5 by 7 feet wide and 7 feet tall, and that the door was kept shut with a piece of wood while all but one window was screwed shut. The playhouse reportedly reeked of urine, and the girl said she often soiled herself because she was trapped inside the playhouse for hours while home alone.

After being arrested, the Erquiagas defended their actions by saying they were punishing the girl’s bad behavior and that she was prone to violent outbursts. They are being held without bail, and all eight of their children were taken into protective custody by the Department of Children and Families.

[h/t Inquisitr]
[Image via pixabay]

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