See Why Parents Chained Their Mentally Ill Teenage Daughter

Onyeka John, a 14 year old teenage girl, was reportedly chained by her mother and father to a burglary proof for one month. The girl is said to have lived with her parents in a rented apartment on Serebe Street, Abaranje, in the Ikotun area of Lagos State. Her parents tied her up by the neck and legs for habitually running away from home, which they ascribed to a mental illness.

Mr. Oladapo Olubajo, who is the landlord of the building, was said to have gone to the back of the house to check on the pumping machine, when he saw the girl, tied up to the burglary as usual, and her parents were out for the day. He alerted a resident, who reported the case to the police at the Ikotun division. The resident, who pleaded anonymity, said that the parents of the girl showed up and gave statements.

“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.” He said.

The landlord, told correspondent that he wanted to take up the matter with the parents, explaining that he met the girl naked in the apartment, adding that the condition she was could frustrate her to commit suicide.

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“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 behavior 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. 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.”

PunchMetro reports that the parents of the girl said that they never meant to harm the girl. the father of the girl, who spoke on behalf of himself and his wife said that their daughter had a habit of running away from home, and as they currently spoke she had ran away again. The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, said the case was under investigation.