Police: Parents Chained Children To Beds In North Charlotte Home

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Police say a mother and father have been arrested for using chains to restrain their children inside a north Charlotte home.

Investigators with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and the Department of Social Services responded to a home on Statesville Road after an anonymous caller claimed children were being abused.

A warrant claims police found a bunk bed in the hallway of the residence with two metal linked chains on each end of the bed that had small master locks attached to them.

Police say one of the children proceeded to show officers pictures from their mother’s phone while another child was being interviewed.  Detectives say pictures on the phone showed four children with linked chains around their wrist and waist.  According to a warrant, another picture showed what appeared to an autistic 3-year-old chained to a chair.

Police and DSS representatives also claim that they observed bruising and marks on the wrist of a 9-year-old and the ankle of a 6-year-old.  Police believe these injuries are consistent with and caused by being restrained by the linked chains, according to a search warrant.

Melissa and Felipe Gonzalez-Guzman have been charged with 15 counts of false imprisonment and 15 counts of felony child abuse in the case.

WCCB live streamed the news conference in reference to this story.  You can watch it HERE.

Phone numbers to report child abuse or neglect:

Emergencies: 911

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department: 704-336-7600

Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services: 704-336-3000

North Carolina Department of Social Services: 919-855-4800

Childhelp®: 1-800-422-4453