Father Accused Of Locking Adopted Kids In Basement

Father Accused Of Locking Adopted Kids In Basement

Police Say Fam Kept Them Away From Food

POSTED: 12:27 pm MST November 22, 2006

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- A Colorado Springs father is facing charges of child abuse and false imprisonment for allegedly locking his six adopted children in the basement, keeping food away from them, and watching them with security cameras.

Police said William Fam, 59, detained the two girls and four boys, ranging in age from 7 to 16, to keep them from taking food out of the pantry, or running away.

"It appears that there were periods of time when the children were locked in the basement of this residents," said Sgt. Howard Black of the Colorado Springs Police Department. "The only way they were able to get out of the basement of the residence is by the mother or the father unlocking the door."

Black said police received a tip that a child at the home may have been assaulted, prompting an investigation. When officers investigated, they found the children allegedly locked in the basement of the home in the 5400 block of War Paint Place.

The mother, Samia Fam, is not facing charges but police said more arrests are possible. According to court documents, the two are divorced and a restraining order was issued for him in 1998. Ten years earlier, William Fam had pleaded guilty to second-degree assault for an incident that occurred on Christmas Day.

Neighbors said they often saw the children sitting on the front porch of the home doing their homework.

"They couldn't get access to the house and on cold days they weren't allowed in because the parents weren't home and they don't get home until around 5:30 or 6," said neighbor Jimmy Senamontry.

Fam faces six counts of child abuse and six counts of false imprisonment. He has been released from jail because he is being investigated on misdemeanor charges. Police said had there been evidence that Fam held the children in the basement for an extended period of time, charges could have bumped up to felony status.

Fam may face additional charges.

Black said the children appeared well nourished.

The children are now in the custody of the El Paso County Department of Human Services.

It's not clear when and where they were adopted.