Parents accused of locking son, daughter in room

WAKEFIELD, Neb. —

A couple in northeast Nebraska is accused of locking their children in a bedroom of their home and only letting them out to use a bathroom.

Dixon County Court documents show Patrick Henderson, 54, and Angel Henderson, 42, were charged with two counts of intentional child abuse. The couple was arrested Wednesday night after Angel Henderson reported her 14-year-old son missing that morning.

The boy was found in the back of the vehicle and taken to a hospital in Wayne for examination. KCAU reported medical personnel became concerned after seeing the teen's clothing. He was wearing one-piece pajamas with the arms sewn closed and to the back. The pajama legs were also sewn together from the ankles up.

In an interview at the Child Advocacy Center in Kearney, the boy reportedly said he had been home-schooled for several years. He also said he and his 9-year-old sister were kept locked in their room. The room reportedly had an alarm. If the alarm went off, the boy said he and his sister would be kicked, choked or hit.

KCAU also reported the boy saying he and his sister only got one meal a day, unless they failed to finish worksheets. In those cases they wouldn't eat at all.

The boy's sister reportedly said similar things in an interview with professionals in Sioux City.

The children have been removed from the Hendersons' custody. The parents are being held in Dakota County Jail in Dakota City awaiting prosecution.