3-Year-Old Locked In Room for Month as Punishment for Swearing, Conn. Police Say

LITCHFIELD, Conn. – A man and his girlfriend were arrested after his 3-year-old son was found locked in a room with a broken arm as punishment for swearing, authorities said.

The boy and seven other children in their apartment were taken into state custody. They were found Monday by a neighbor, who told police she went to the apartment after seeing several children hanging off a second-floor balcony.

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Police said the boy was forced to stay in the room for a month as punishment for swearing. He was allowed to leave only to use the toilet for a bowel movement. A 20-ounce soda bottle was provided when he had to urinate, according to the police report.

The child's father, Jeremy Lacey 29, and his girlfriend, Mistee Lee Lemons, 27, were charged with three counts of risk of injury to a minor and ordered held on $150,000 bonds. They are scheduled to return to court Aug. 2.

The boy told police he hurt his arm trying to climb on a milk crate to open the door. His injury appeared to be at least 15 hours old, according to the police report.

Police said the children, all offspring of either Lacey or Lemons, told them the couple also forced them to balance books on their heads as punishment, and would spank them if a book dropped.