GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, N.J. (TCN) — A 38-year-old woman and her 41-year-old husband are facing multiple charges for allegedly forcing a girl to live in a dog crate for a year, chaining her in a bathroom, and abusing her.
The Camden County Prosecuting Attorney and Gloucester Township Police Department chief announced in a joint statement on May 14 that Brenda Spencer and Branndon Mosley were taken into custody on one count each of first-degree kidnapping, second-degree conspiracy to commit kidnapping, second-degree aggravated assault, third-degree criminal restraint, third-degree aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, fourth-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, and five counts of endangering the welfare of a child — abuse/neglect.
Mosley is additionally charged with two counts of first-degree aggravated sexual assault, two counts of second-degree sexual assault, and one count of endangering the welfare of a child — sexual contact.
According to the statement, on May 10, officials received information that an 18-year-old girl said she had been held captive in her home and sexually abused. The victim told detectives that in 2018, Spencer pulled her out of school and “confined her to home.” Once that happened, the victim was allegedly “forced to live in a dog crate for approximately one year and was let out periodically.” A 13-year-old girl had been removed from school around the same time.
After that, Spencer and Mosley allegedly chained her up and kept her in the bathroom, which was padlocked. They reportedly only let her out when family came to the house. When she was not locked in the bathroom, she was reportedly confined to a bare room that only contained a bucket for her to use as a toilet. There was allegedly an alarm system that notified Spencer and Mosley if the victim attempted to escape. Additionally, the victim said they beat her with a belt and Mosley sexually abused her.
On May 8, the victim escaped and went to a neighbor’s house for help. The victim informed the neighbor of what happened, and they contacted law enforcement.
Detectives obtained a warrant to search the home and “found that the victim was subjected to living in squalid conditions alongside numerous dogs, chinchillas, and other animals.”
Spencer does not have a job, while Mosley worked as a conductor for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA).
NBC News reports Spencer is the girl’s mother and Mosley is her stepfather.
Gloucester Township Police Chief David Harkins called it “one of the most despicable cases we’ve run across.”
Prosecutor Grace MacAulay said, “Anyone who’s been confined for a period of seven years, held in these conditions, living in squalid filth, is going to be damaged, psychologically, physically, emotionally, mentally, and as you also can appreciate, when it comes to cases involving child endangerment and child abuse and sexual assault, confidentiality to protect the victims is paramount.”
