A 17-year-old boy was imprisoned in a basement and starved by his father, David L. Martin, and his stepmother, Pamela S. Martin. The boy had lived in the basement since September 2012, when his father pulled him out of school to reportedly homeschool him.
The Martins claimed to have imprisoned the boy for safety reasons when Pamela’s son and grandson moved into the home. According to his parents, the boy had bipolar disorder and ADHD and they were unable to afford his medication. When he was found handcuffed to a pole in a cold basement, the boy weighed only 103 lbs. The abuse was discovered when a neighbor called the child abuse hotline.
The Martins were charged with felonious restraint and child abuse.
Date: February 4, 2013
Location: Kansas City, Missouri
