CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Police said Tuesday there were three additional children in the home where a woman was charged with child abuse after a young girl was found in handcuffs.
Two teenage boys, 14 and 16 and a 3-year-old child were also discovered in the South Hills area home of Laura Southworth, 54, who was arrested and charged with Child Abuse and Unlawful Restraint Monday.
Police said two teenage boys were Southworth’s biological children while the 8-year-old girl and 3-year-old girl were her grandchildren. According to police, Southworth had custody of all four of the children.
On Monday morning, 911 received a call from a neighbor on Bridge Road that a child wearing handcuffs had shown up at their house and was making allegations that she had been abused and neglected. Upon investigation of the home the girl claimed she came from, officers found evidence of abuse and neglect consistent to the child’s allegations.
Charleston police described the home as “extremely messy” with items all over the floor throughout the home.
Southworth told investigators she handcuffed the 8-year-old girl Sunday evening due to her making a mess, “stealing food,” and hiding the food in the home, as well as trying to leave the house without permission.
According to a Kanawha County Schools spokesperson, Southworth had filed a notice of intent for the three older children to be placed on homeschool status in November 2022. As of Tuesday, the school system was working to gather more information regarding the children’s history in public school.
Homeschooling in West Virginia has recently come under fire from lawmakers and school officials after a host of abuse and neglect cases have arose out of homeschooling situations. They assert there needs to be more accountability for what happens to homeschooled students.
Southworth is in jail on $10,000 bail.