A West Virginia grandmother was jailed after reportedly handcuffing her granddaughter, who escaped and went to a neighbor’s house for assistance.
Laura Southworth, 54, is charged with child negligence and unlawful restraint, according to a criminal complaint obtained by PEOPLE.
Charleston police officers were dispatched to the neighbor’s home around 9 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 23, “about a neighbor’s child showing up at their house saying she was abused and that she had a handcuff on her arm,” according to the complaint.
The lawsuit states that the youngster “was able to slip the handcuff off of her right wrist but was unable to slip the one off her left wrist.”
According to the lawsuit, Southworth admitted to handcuffing the boy the previous evening after he reportedly stole food and attempted to leave the house without permission.
“This means [victim] was handcuffed for approximately 13 hours and it should be noted that the handcuff that was on her wrist, was very tight, and eventually officers were able to remove the handcuff,” according to the filed complaint.
According to the complaint, police found the house “extremely messy with multiple items covering the floor throughout.”
A preliminary hearing for Southworth is set for October 2.
She has yet to submit a plea.
Her lawyer couldn’t be reached for comment.
If you suspect child abuse, contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or visit www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week in over 170 languages.