Mother, boyfriend charged after 4‑year‑old found locked in closet, sheriff’s office says
ST. MARY’S COUNTY, Md. - A mother and her boyfriend are facing charges after authorities say a 4‑year‑old child was kept inside a closet secured by a bungee cord for nearly 12 hours a day in a St. Mary’s County home.
What we know:
Deputies responded Monday to the 20000 block of Roh Ranch Lane in Callaway for a report of child abuse after a caller said a child was being held in a closet. Authorities say they were given consent to enter the residence and found a closet door secured by a bungee cord. Inside, deputies located the 4‑year‑old, who was taken for medical evaluation.
Mother, boyfriend charged after 4 year old found locked in closet | Kaylynn Nicole Moore (left) & James Earl Stone (right) (St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office)
A search warrant was obtained, and deputies reported the closet was in deplorable condition, with no working light and no edible food. Investigators determined three adults and five children lived in the home. The four other children did not require medical attention.
The child’s mother, Kaylynn Nicole Moore, 28, told deputies the child was left in the closet daily for approximately 12 hours. Her boyfriend, James Earl Stone, 27, admitted to using the bungee cord to secure the door.
Moore and Stone were charged with child abuse and seven counts of child neglect. They were taken to the St. Mary’s County Detention and Rehabilitation Center in Leonardtown to await bond hearings.
The Source: Information in this article comes from St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office.