Woman arrested for holding 14 y.o. son captive in a closet for 4 years

**Moongirl** · September 28th, 2009, 05:56 PM

MSNBC.com
Teen claims he was held in closet for years
14-year-old boy escapes home and seeks help at a National Guard facility
The Associated Press
updated 2:56 p.m. PT, Mon., Sept . 28, 2009

LaRhonda Marie McCall was arrested with Steve Vern Hamilton on complaints of child abuse and neglect after her 14-year-old son told police he'd been held in a closet for years.

OKLAHOMA CITY - A woman was arrested after her 14-year-son told authorities he escaped from a home where he'd been kept for 4 1/2 years, spending most of his time locked in a bedroom closet, police said Monday.

A security guard at a National Guard facility in Oklahoma City called police on Friday after the teen showed up malnourished and with numerous scars and other signs of abuse, police Sgt. Gary Knight said.

"He was hungry. He was dirty. He had numerous scars on his body," Knight said. "It was very sad."

The boy was taken to a hospital to be examined and then turned over to the custody of the Department of Human Services, Knight said.

Mom, friend arrested
After police interviews, officers on Saturday arrested the boy's mother, 37-year-old LaRhonda Marie McCall, and a friend, 38-year-old Steve Vern Hamilton, on 20 complaints each of child abuse and child neglect. Formal charges have not been filed, and both were being held on $400,000 bond, according to jail records.

Jail officials were not sure if either had retained an attorney, and no one answered the phone at McCall's home.

The teen, wearing only a pair of oversized shorts held up by a belt, walked up to a security guard at the Guard facility around 5 p.m. Friday and asked where a police station was located so he could report being abused, according to a police report.

He told police that scars on his stomach and torso were from where alcohol had been poured on him and set on fire. Other scars were from being tied up, hit with an extension cord and choked, the boy told police.

"He had scars covering most of his body," Knight said. "They were basically from head to foot."

Six other children lived in home
The teen told police he moved to the Oklahoma City area from New Jersey about 4 1/2 years ago after his mother was released from jail. Since arriving in Oklahoma, he said, he had never been to school and spent most of his time locked in a bedroom closet.

He told police the closet door was mostly blocked with a stepladder or a bed and that he managed to push the door open enough to escape and leave the house.

Knight said six other children living at the home were taken into DHS custody, but none showed signs of abuse.

A DHS spokeswoman said she could not discuss specific cases but generally an investigation would be conducted before any of the children are returned to the home or placed with other family members.

"There may be family members, but we do a diligent search, and we're very careful about placing kids in a safe environment," DHS spokeswoman Beth Scott said.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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**angelais** · September 28th, 2009, 05:57 PM

Gee, she's mother of the year. Stupid hag. She deserves life in prison for this crap.

**Penny Lane** · September 28th, 2009, 07:11 PM

Jesus Christ... these stories make me so sad. There are people out there who can't have children and these sick and fucked up cunts who do have kids treat them like shit.

**MoodyJenny86** · September 29th, 2009, 12:37 AM

I say throw her ass in a closet for life.

**PoisonGirl** · September 29th, 2009, 12:43 AM

Originally Posted by Penny Lane

Jesus Christ... these stories make me so sad. There are people out there who can't have children and these sick and fucked up cunts who do have kids treat them like shit.

^This deserves a fricken gold.

EXACTLY what I said!

**Chilly Willy** · September 29th, 2009, 04:37 AM

Originally Posted by Penny Lane

Jesus Christ... these stories make me so sad. There are people out there who can't have children and these sick and fucked up cunts who do have kids treat them like shit.

So very true.

This woman should be neutered like a cat.