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Attorney: Kids lied about being locked in tool box

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Attorney: Kids lied about being locked in tool box

By: NBC17 STAFF | NBC17.com

Published: December 05, 2012

Updated: December 05, 2012 - 4:49 PM

RALEIGH, N.C. --

An attorney for a Harnett County woman accused of locking her adopted children in a tool box says the kids have a history of bad behavior and are lying about their accusations.

Leslie Tiesler, 37, of Cameron, was arrested Oct. 16 and charged with multiple counts of child abuse. The sheriff's office says three of Tiesler's adopted children complained of being starved, beaten with a wooden spoon, locked in a room and placed in a Stanley tool box.

The children also said that two of their siblings -- one of whom was also adopted, the other was Tiesler’s biological child -- participated in "cruel treatment" of the victims.

Tiesler's attorney, however, said the children have a pattern of bad behavior and that they are not being truthful in the accusations.

The alleged abuse occurred over a 14-month period.

Tiesler's ex-husband, Brad Thill, was also charged in the incident. Thill was charged with misdemeanor child abuse.

On Wednesday, Thill entered a not-guilty plea, and said he was working overseas as a defense contractor during the time that the alleged abuse occurred.

Thill returned home briefly in April, and Harnett County Sheriff Larry Rollins said, "It was obvious he was in the home and he should have done something to try and help those kids."

Thill said he and Tiesler divorced three years ago, and she has since married David Tiesler.

David and Leslie have been separated since August 2012, and he has not been charged in connection with the abuse accusations.

David, along with a neighbor, requested that Leslie be released to their custody. The judge denied the request, and kept Leslie’s bond at $100,000.

2012 Dec 5