Family That Allegedly Locked Girl In Basement Known To DCFS
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) took away four children living in a Waukegan home after authorities found a 10-year-old allegedly held captive in the family's basement for several months.
According to documents, DCFS has dealt with the family before.
Police say the 10-year-old was forced to use a bucket to bathe and a portable potty-training toilet to use the bathroom. She was locked in the basement of the home in the 200 block of Liberty Street at night, police said. Police found the girl on Tuesday.
The parents, Randy Swopes, 48, and Katherine Swopes, 49, are being held on unlawful restraint and child endangerment charges in Lake County Jail, the father on a $750,000 bond and the mother on a $150,000 bond.
The Swopes claim they thought their daughter was possessed by demons.
CBS 2's Dorothy Tucker reports this was not the first time authorities were called to the home of Randy and Katherine Swopes.
In January 2008, Randy Swopes was charged, and later convicted, of abusing their 14-year-old son.
According to court documents, "temporary custody was taken of their eight minor children that same month."
At that time, DCFS recommended "counseling/therapy services for the plaintiffs and their children."
There was a target return date of January 31, 2009, one year after they lost custody of their children.
It appears that didn't happen, so Katherine Swopes filed a complaint against DCFS, asking for the case to be reviewed in April 2009, arguing "the counseling services were not offered in a timely manner to meet the targeted return date."
It is unclear exactly when the children were returned to the couple. DCFS officials will not release that information or say why the children were returned.
CBS 2 has learned that of the four children removed from the home, a 15-year-old is the only one registered at a Waukegan school.
The 10-year-old held captive in the basement, along with her 13 and 7-year-old siblings, are not enrolled in Waukegan schools. Sources say they are homeschooled.
Randy and Katherine Swopes are due in court on July 31.
