Women arrested after malnourished girl found chained to floor
Two women in Central California pleaded not guilty this week to multiple child abuse charges after authorities discovered three malnourished children in their home, including an 8-year-old girl who was allegedly chained to the floor to prevent her from reaching food.
The discovery was made last week as Monterey County sheriff’s deputies were investigating allegations of possible child neglect in Salinas last week, KION-TV reported.
They found two boys and a girl malnourished and showing signs of physical and emotional abuse, the station reported.
One of the children had to be hospitalized.
Eraca Dawn Craig, 31, and Christian Jessica Deanda, 42, were arrested and charged with multiple counts of child abuse.
Two of the children have since been adopted. At least one of the children found inside the house was the biological son of one of the women.
A spokesman for the Monterey County Sheriff’s Department could not be reached by The Times for comment Friday.
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