Oklahoma Parents Accused of Confining Child in Wooden Box

Two Oklahoma parents are accused of keeping one of their children confined to a wooden box and another in a playpen for at least 20 hours, according to investigators.

Sara Tudor, 46, and Michael Brown, 43, of Paoli, were arrested Thursday, Oct. 8, and each charged with three counts of child neglect, the District 21 District Attorney's Office announced. Each count is a felony. Both were booked into the Garvin County Jail. Paoli is in Garvin County, about 60 miles south of Oklahoma City.

The investigation began July 27, when a teacher with Epic Charter Schools contacted the Oklahoma Department of Human Services about three children, ages 9, 8 and 4. According to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the teacher said she "was concerned for their well-being." The district attorney's office asked the OSBI to investigate on July 31.

Human Services officials say they learned one child had been confined to a wooden box and another to a playpen for at least 20 hours. Investigators described the children's living conditions as hazardous and say the children were not fed properly and did not receive showers or baths. Authorities have not publicly said which of the children were confined or how long the confinement went on.

State workers removed all three children from the home and placed them in foster care. Medical professionals who evaluated the children found that each suffers from psychological abuse, KTEN reported. The children remain in state care as the criminal case moves forward.

It is not yet clear when Tudor and Brown are due to appear in court, and no attorney has commented publicly on their behalf.