Parents Chain 14-year-old girl for a Month, Claim she’s “Mentally Ill”

A 14-year-old girl has been released after she was allegedly chained by her parents to the burglar-proof bars for about one month, PUNCH reports.

The parents claimed that she is mentally challenged and they did that to prevent her from running away from, which they said has become habitual.

The girl and her parents live in a rented apartment on Serebe Street, Abaranje, in the Ikotun area of Lagos State.

The landlord Oladapo Olubajo, who was said to have gone to the backyard, where the family’s apartemtn was located to check the pumping machine, discovered the girl with chains on her neck and legs.

The landlord was said to have alerted a resident, who reported the case to the police at the Ikotun division.

According to the resident, “The parents locked the girl up. She is about 14-years-old. She was chained naked to the burglary inside the room by the neck and legs.  Policemen came to rescue the girl. Her parents later turned themselves in at the station. They said the girl had been a disgrace to the family.”

Speaking to PUNCH, the landlord said:

When I saw her chained to the burglar-proof  bar, I raised the alarm. The police later got the parents to the station and interrogated them.

The girl said she had been there for almost one month. Her parents moved here a year ago. I have noticed that their behaviour was odd. but I didn’t know they could go to the extent of chaining their daughter.

People begged me and the police eventually released the girl to them yesterday (Wednesday). The conclusion we reached is that I want them out of my house. They also claimed the girl is mentally ill. Even if she is mentally challenged, was that the right way to go about it? She could have killed herself.

“She always runs away from home. That was why we chained her. I think she is mentally ill. We planned to take her to a hospital this month. As I speak now, she has fled home again,” the girl’s father told PUNCH on Thursday.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, said the case was under investigation adding that “The lady is suffering from mental illness. Her parents chained her to prevent her from entering the street, and without intention to harm her”.