NEWARK, N.J. – A New Jersey woman is accused of child endangerment after a 12-year-old foster child was confined to a bedroom and tethered to a fan by chains and padlocks, authorities said Thursday.
Wanser E. Brown, 66, of Newark, was charged with two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, according to Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose.
Police discovered the boy at 10 a.m. Wednesday after a teacher asked authorities to conduct a welfare check, NJ.com reported.
“Responding officers located the boy confined to a bedroom and tethered to a fan by chains and padlocks,” Ambrose said in a statement.
It is unclear how long the boy was tied up, Ambrose said.
The boy was evaluated at a local hospital and turned over to the state Division of Child Protection and Permanency, according to NJ.com. It was unclear if Brown was the child’s legal guardian.
“Thanks to the courage of a concerned teacher, who requested a wellness check, this foster child was rescued,” Ambrose said. “We are investigating this incident along with the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office to gather as much information as possible about how and why this child was put in this horrific situation. We are pleased that he’s now safe, and we are grateful that his teacher suspected that he was in need of police assistance.”
The Special Victims Unit of the Newark Police Division and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office are handling the investigation, WPIX reported.
