A 16-year-old girl, H., was imprisoned, starved, and sexually abused by her father, Dwight Bainbridge; his girlfriend Jessica Brambilla; and her 20-year-old son William C. Land. H. was homeschooled. The other four children who lived in the home were not reported to be abused.
Bainbridge had spent time in and out of state prison over the previous two decades; he was arrested for sexual assault and strangulation in 2012. After his release around March 2018, Bainbridge and H. moved into the home with Brambilla and Land. Around that time, Bainbridge, Brambilla, and Land began to keep H. confined to a locked bedroom with limited bedding and a bucket for urine. She was let out twice a day to use the bathroom and eat. Her meals were limited to “plain oatmeal, two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, two cups of water, and multivitamins.” Bainbridge also began to sexually assault her at this time. While being confined, H. was homeschooled, but Bainbridge and Brambilla would punish her by discontinuing her schooling for up to four months at a time.
The abuse came to light when H. told officials at Booker High School about the abuse. It is unclear how she was able to gain access to them. Bainbridge was charged with sexual battery, molestation, and aggravated child abuse. Brambilla was charged with aggravated child abuse.
Date: September 19, 2019
Location: Sarasota, Florida
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