2 Children Abused, Locked in Garage by Family Members, FL
Police: Kids Abused, Locked In Garage Allegations Come To Light After Suspect Calls 911 POSTED: 2:27 pm EST January 3, 2007 UPDATED: 5:34 pm EST January 3, 2007 KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Three family members were arrested and charged with child abuse Wednesday after police said they physically harmed two children and locked them in a garage multiple times. Justin Carl Partridge, 18, Tommy Lee Coleman, 36, and a 17-year-old were arrested on charges of aggravated child abuse and taken to the Osceola County Jail, according to detectives. Partridge was charged with 10 counts of child abuse, and Coleman was additionally charged with one count of lewd and lascvious exhibition. To protect the identity of the children, sheriff's detectives are not providing the victim's relationship to the suspects except to say that they are family members. The children, both under the age of 12, told deputies all three suspects would lock them in the garage for hours at a time without food, water or bathroom facilities. They also indicated that on one occasion, Coleman exposed himself and began inappropriately touching himself. Osceola County sheriff's deputies said the suspects' house was in complete disarray and smelled of urine and feces and was infested with roaches. Deputies said they discovered the abuse when Partridge called 911 to report a possible burglary and kidnapping on Monday. According to Partridge, someone had broken into the house and stolen some electronic equipment. He also indicated that two children in his care were missing. Deputies said they located the two children at a neighbor's house. The children told deputeis that they ran away from their house because of physical abuse. Watch Local 6 News for more information about this story. http://www.local6.com/news/10663200/detail.html