A couple in Tennessee allegedly forced a vulnerable teenager to live in a shed without running water, electricity, or a bathroom.
Amanda Sewell, 38, and Brandon Cox, 33, each face charges of caregiver neglect of a vulnerable adult, according to Cheatham County court records reviewed by Law&Crime. Authorities booked them into the Cheatham County Jail, and both have since bonded out.
The defendants’ case was opened Wednesday.
The Cheatham County Sheriff’s Office responded to a home after the victim called for help, Nashville ABC affiliate WKRN reported. The 18-year-old said he had lived in a shed behind the home since February, when he turned 18.
His mother, Sewell, and her boyfriend, Cox, allegedly cut off the power, leaving him without a fan or air conditioning unit as temperatures outside reached 93 degrees. There were reportedly also days when the teenager had no electricity.
Authorities said the victim has autism.
When law enforcement officers spoke with Sewell, she allegedly told them her son moved into the shed after he failed to get a job. She reportedly cut off the electricity to pressure him into finding work.
According to authorities, the teen received food through a window and was told to drink water from a hose. He was reportedly instructed not to enter the main house when Cox was there, while doorknobs were removed from the back doors of the residence.
The victim had to use a bag as a toilet inside the shed and was taken to a hospital at one point because he was dehydrated, the TV station reported.
Investigators searched the shed and said they found trash and very little bedding.
Deputies eventually removed the victim from the residence and said they placed him in a safe location.
The defendants are scheduled to appear in court next on Nov. 25.
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