Foster Child, 12, Found Chained, Locked In Newark Bedroom: Police

NEWARK, NJ — A Newark woman has been charged with child endangerment after a 12-year-old boy was found chained and locked up in a bedroom, authorities reported Thursday.

Wanser E. Brown, 66, of Newark, was charged with two counts of endangering the welfare of a foster child in her care, according to the Newark Department of Public Safety.

Police found the child while conducting a wellness check at 10:10 a.m. on the 500-block of Clinton Avenue on Wednesday.

When officers discovered the boy, he was “confined to a bedroom and tethered to a fan by chains and padlocks,” authorities said.

Emergency responders transported the child to University Hospital for evaluation. He was later released to the custody of the New Jersey Department of Child Protection and Permanency.

The special victims unit of the Newark Police Department and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office are conducting an ongoing investigation. No additional information was immediately available.

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