New Jersey parents charged with abuse after teenage daughter found locked in dog cage
Brenda Spencer and Branndon Mosley face multiple charges including kidnapping and aggravated sexual assault after their daughter escaped and revealed years of abuse and confinement in New Jersey.
A Gloucester Township couple are in jail on charges of physically and sexually abusing a child at their home over multiple years, Camden County authorities stated. The 18-year-old victim escaped with the help of a neighbor and described atrocious conditions, such as being forced to live in a dog crate and a padlocked bathroom, and physical and sexual assault.
The mother, Brenda Spencer, and stepfather, Branndon Mosley, were arrested on numerous severe charges including kidnapping, aggravated assault, and sexual assault. The case has created controversy regarding homeschool regulations in New Jersey, since the children in the household had been removed from public school and homeschooled without supervision.
New Jersey parents being arrested after they abused a child
A Gloucester Township, N.J., couple have been arrested on accusations they abused and confined a child in their home for several years, Camden County authorities said.
Branndon Mosley, 41, and Brenda Spencer, 38, were arrested Sunday and face charges of kidnapping, aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of a child, and numerous other offenses. Mosley also faces charges of aggravated sexual assault and sexual assault.
The 18-year-old victim fled the house on May 8 with the help of a neighbor, and the police were notified about the abuse two days later, Camden County Prosecutor Grace MacAulay said. Mosley and Spencer were arrested on May 11.
MacAulay called the crimes "the most abhorrent, heinous crimes anyone can commit.
The alleged abuse began around 2018 when Spencer removed the victim from school in seventh grade and locked them in the home. The victim told detectives they were forced to live within a dog crate for approximately a year, being taken outside only occasionally.
Thereafter, the victim was bound and locked in a bathroom locked with a padlock and was allowed out when relatives visited. They were also detained in another room where there was a bucket for them to use as a toilet, where an alarm system had been installed to alert the abusers in case the victim tried to escape.
Daughter claimed being beaten during 18 years by their parents
The victim also reported to authorities she was sexually assaulted by Mosley and beaten with a belt. Authorities also found the victim was living in squalid conditions with dogs, chinchillas, and other animals.
Spencer is the victim's mother, and Mosley is the stepfather. No word was immediately available if they have attorneys.
Another child, age 13, who lived in the home was also removed from school years ago at Spencer's discretion and homeschooled along with the victim.
Prosecutor MacAulay noted that while parents who homeschool are supposed to notify the school district, the New Jersey Department of Education does not actively monitor whether children being homeschooled are, in fact, being educated, and this is something that needs to be readdressed in light of cases like this.
Neighbor Grant Barbour called the circumstances "evil" and "villainous," and said he rarely saw the victim, which was his only indication anything was wrong.
Spencer is unemployed, and Mosley, who works for SEPTA as a Regional Rail engineer, has been in suspension since May 11 pending an investigation.
The two are lodged in Camden County Correctional Facility, pending a detention hearing in Superior Court.
