The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
The mother and father of an 18-year-old girl are facing charges after allegations that they locked their daughter inside of a cage in an unsanitary environment.
Richmond residents Tito and Shannon Felix are the parents of an 18-year-old daughter who suffers from Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, which is a life-long condition with a variety of symptoms linked to babies being exposed to alcohol in the womb. There is no way to reverse it due to damage to the brain and nervous system.
One of the symptoms that Tito and Shannon’s daughter displays is that she tends to get up in the night and roam around.
On June 15, the Richmond police went to the family’s residence and performed a welfare check which allegedly led them to the discovery of a basement bedroom that appeared to be the room of their daughter. A lock was affixed on the outside of the door, and inside the space they reportedly found a cage constructed of wood with bolt latches for which to affix locks.
The wooden cage was allegedly furnished with a bed and a child-sized toilet. The toilet was said to be filled with waste, and the room that the cage was in reportedly contained a large amount of animal excrement.
When officers interviewed 51-year-old Shannon Felix she allegedly told them that the family had started implementing the cage at night so that they could sleep without fear that their daughter might wander outside. She additionally stated that they had more than one issue with that kind of situation in the past resulting in involvement from the authorities, and they wanted to prevent further problems of that nature.
Shannon Felix was arrested and charged with first-degree unlawful imprisonment, and first-degree criminal abuse. She was jailed in the Madison County Detention Center and has since been released.
50-year-old Tito Felix was also arrested and faces the same charges as his wife. He remains in custody in the Madison County Detention Center.
Adult Protective Services is reported to be in the process of locating a new home for the alleged victim, and Child Protective Services has become involved in the case because they believe the family may have other children living in the home, and that they are possibly serving as foster parents.
If you or someone you love is suspected of domestic violence, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.