Horrific: Four Mentally Disabled Adults Found Chained in Philadelphia ‘Dungeon’
- Posted on October 16, 2011 at 9:40am by
Madeleine Morgenstern
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The Philadelphia house were police say they discovered four mentally disabled people chained up in a basement in deplorable conditions.
Philadelphia police discovered four mentally challenged adults chained in a basement Saturday in what may have been part of a scheme for their caretakers to collect government checks.
The victims were held captive in a 15-by-15-foot subbasement hollowed out within the house, behind a steel door that had been chained shut, police said.
Officers made the discovery after being called to the house over a landlord-tenant dispute. According to Philadelphia’s Fox 29, police heard a noise behind the locked door that sounded as if a dog were behind it.
The victims, three men and a woman ages 29 to 41, were all severely malnourished and had the mental capacities of 10-year-olds. At least one man was chained to a wall inside, and there was no food or water in the room and no way for the captives to get out, the station reported. There were buckets in the room for urine and feces.
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, three people were arrested and charged with kidnapping, assault and other crimes.
Fox 29 reported one emergency responder overheard some of the victims say they were handing over their government money to a caretaker.
Police spokesman Lt. Ray Evers described the basement as a “dungeon” and said interviewing the victims had been difficult due to their limited mental capacity. It was not clear where they lived, though he said the operation might have been part of an interstate ring.
The captives were transported to a local hospital for evaluation and are said to be in stable condition. The names of those arrested have not been released pending formal charges, though the Inquirer reported they are a 51-year-old Texas man, a 50-year-old woman and a 48-year-old man.





















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Comments (111)
Diego Roswell
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 12:52pmI really won’t miss Philadelphia when God strikes it down to ashes for it is a bad place.
rangerp
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 1:31pmIt is a sick and twisted nation that we now live.
I would bet that this story does not go real far, and is forgotten about real soon. Had we found a celebrity that was not taking care of his dogs or cats in a fashion that the libs believe to be suitable, then we would run that story into the ground.
Report Post »Agnes
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 1:58pmI couldn’t agree with you more!
Report Post »kindling
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 3:01pmIt will be remembered by me RangerP. I have 2 family members that would fit in that story that I worry about when I am gone. One is mentally about 10 the other about 2. I am horrified to read of these situations because I fear my family members may end up in one. I believe God has a special place for both handicapped people and a much warmer one for those that abuse them.
Report Post »oneshiner
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 3:14pmThe people who committed this dirty deed need to be chained up the rest of their lives. How sick can people be toward others? Just defies the law of nature to be so cruel.
Report Post »Fredom4u
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 3:32pmThis is heartbreaking. Vengeance is mine sayeth the Lord. I have some great ideas to help Him!
Report Post »SERUM
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 3:33pmThe Lord has put an end to their torture and shown us how horrible evil can be… forgive, no mercy on the sentencing!
Report Post »Professional Infidel
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 5:21pmAh “Brotherly Love” I”m curious what race these people are. Just asking!!
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 6:35pm@kindling
I know how you feel. I haam the legal guardian of my 21 year old son who is mentally about 7 or 8. You have to file for custody (to be their legal guardians) to protect them. If something would happen, like an auto accident and they needed a life saving surgery, but were afraid of needles (like my son is) and they said no the medical profession would have to listen to them, after the age of 18.
Has anyone heard of the rash of people filing for legal guardianship of the elderly, so they can burn through their money, and then they suddenly “die” of natural causes?
Report Post »Discord
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 9:17pmOn second thought, let’s not go to Camelot.
Report Post »It is a silly place.
ICRedifURBlue
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 9:44pmI know it looks bad, but…..they were just hiding them from the govt. goons that wanted to put them down………..kinda like a late, late, late term abortion…..
Report Post »Cesium
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 11:48pmgod worshipers sure do say some sick and twisted things… Strike philly down? strike down an epicenter of cutting edge medical innovation.. idiots
Report Post »rose-ellen
Posted on October 17, 2011 at 12:09amAmericanism-the religion of compassion for the weakest among you!Such decent, honorable people these americans!
Report Post »TH30PH1LUS
Posted on October 17, 2011 at 4:11am@ ROSE-ELLEN,
by your same logic will you condemn Palestine for the muder of Jewish babies? Will you condemn Egypt for the gang rape of Lara Logan?
Report Post »TH30PH1LUS
Posted on October 17, 2011 at 4:20am@ ROSE-ELLEN,
by your same logic will you condemn Palestine for the murder of Jewish babies? Will you condemn Egypt for the gang rape of Lara Logan?
Report Post »mils
Posted on October 17, 2011 at 8:03amI agree…they’re only humans..not a dog or a cat…so we won’t hear too much…
man’s inhumanity to man is unbelievable
Report Post »forthepeople
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 12:41pmSince they mention ‘ No Color ’ one can only assume the fair n balanced news story, oops…sorry opinion story for even Fox had gone down that path .
Report Post »momsense
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 12:07pmRight now I OWE for veterinary care for 2 older and increasingly feeble animals—I treat them better than some people treat their kids or thier human disabled. There is no punishment to fit this crime—it’s so low and heinous.
Report Post »Libertyluvnmomma
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 10:43pmmaybe your money could have been better spent?
those abortion alternative clinics are always short on money ( and usually faith based).
Save the babies not the animals
I feel bad for animals that sentimental humans keep alive to feed some need.
Report Post »Moozmom
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 11:59amAh, yes. Let‘s institute the ’“whole lives theory” like our dear federal government is doing. As this theory is put into practice those who are the “least of these” will not be allowed to survive at birth because they will be a drain on the system’s economic resources. After all, we kill fetuses-so what if we allow the “least of these” who are born or the useless elderly to die? As our President says, “Just give them another pill.” This is what America is dealing with-evil.
Report Post »momsense
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 11:57amNot too far from where I live–pitiful. this is what happens when you close facilities for these people and leave them to the mercy of personal profiteers getting a stipend from our Socialist government.
Report Post »The Gooch
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 12:51pmWrong. Throwing folks into institutions tends to result in substandard care that amounts to nothing more than stabling. I refer you Geraldo’s work in exposing Willowbrook. There is no best, easy answer to the care of the developmentally disabled, but there will always be goons (in govt., in agencies and private individuals) who don’t see people… just dollar signs. MOST folks (be they family members or private citizens) I know who care for the disabled are at least fair care givers and advocates. Depersonalizing leads to dehumanization. Institutions should always be a last resort.
Report Post »There are lots of people making six figure salaries who are supposed to make sure these kinds of situations never occur. They need to be held accountable just as much as the three goons.
In WV, if you want to act as a Specialized Family Care Provider, you and everyone in your home is subject to an initial & periodic criminal background check. You are also subject to monthly home visits from at least one (& up to three) monitoring agencies. These folks do great work… & there aren’t people beating down doors to take on these roles.
Problems arise when DHHR dumps people with individuals or agencies out of convenience. This isn’t supposed to be legal, but govt. tends to be able to do as it pleases.
Some agencies do a fair job & some agency staffed sites are fine homes. But the pay in this field is pathetic… & drug testing would see almost no employees.
The Gooch
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 12:57pmAren’t you advocating for nothing more that what amounts to a concentration camp? Not in the Nazi “fire up the ovens” sense, but in the “here’s where you can find all the undesirables eating their mush” sense. And there is precedent to support that’s what many such institutions amount to.
Report Post »jgary
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 3:54pmI bet only blacks work there……
Report Post »kcares
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 5:47pmI saw a new place today that just opened to do elderly care. It is all about the Fed. check. Before the government got involved in family life, people lived with multi generations in the same home, usually on land where everyone had a responsibility to do. My mother, 90 yrs old tells of her grandmother living with them and her job was to sweep the yard. They all had something to do. I fear so much for our elderly, my sister works as a cook in a very espensive alzimers facility, and it disgusts her to see the patients in dirty clothes day after day, etc. I am turning 62 yrs old soon, and am really scared about my future. There is no future for older people that can’t understand all the technology of today, all the red tape of the fed. gov. etc. An older woman that shouldn‘t have to still be working said the golden age isn’t golden.
Report Post »Libertyluvnmomma
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 10:51pmThe Gooch- is that a reference to your stinking privates?
Report Post »Nice.
Libertyluvnmomma
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 10:59pmSad how some people didn’t adopt or have enough children to avoid the serious worry of their own elderly care.
After having worked in that profession, one has every right to fear it. I took pride in my job and respected those people. But let me tell you, if you were a bitter person, when you lose your faculties you are even unable to pretend you are a decent person.
Taking care of nasty, foul mouthed, abusive elderly was thankless. Made more joyous by the stinking crap in their pants. Or, leery old men with their hands down their pants “trying” to j*rk it all day.
it isn’t hard for the less stable employees to lose it…and it takes a special person!
Report Post »The Gooch
Posted on October 17, 2011 at 10:21amIt’s not difficult to review the history of the care of mentally disabled and mentally ill. Seen the most recent “Wolfman”? That was state of the art just a century ago. Institutionalization has been the norm for centuries. ‘Care’ often amounted to state and academic sadism. The state (even the U.S.) advocated for decades to place these people in large buildings and forget about them.
Report Post »Not sure what the hell the “stinking private parts” reference is supposed to call back to, so the answer is “No.” WTF?
As is usual, whenever the issue of the developmentally disabled comes up, some people can’t help but trumpet their ignorance and intolerance.
watashbuddyfriend
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 11:49amWhy is it that we cannot just be Humane? When it comes to animals, we give them humane treatment. If I cannot do for myself, I want to be given humane treatment, but, now the only place I can get that is in Oregon! Give me the Right to die with Dignity! BUT, WHO IS TO DECIDE, for other humans? Hitler’s way was not the right way, but. On my Bible Doctrine website, I say that Hitler was used by God to get the Jews attention, at the expense of 6-million, to turn them (1948) to their promised land!
Report Post »elihu
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 3:23pmThe reason humans are not more humane is: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17.9.).
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 11:34amCan we return the punish in kind? Lock them into a cell with only a bucket and only feed them when we feel like it. Unfortunately, they will get better accommodations than the people they imprisoned.
We need to go back to the Bible principals; an eye for an eye.
Report Post »oneshiner
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 3:21pmYou got it, an eye for an eye! Some of the heinous, despicable people who do these things to other human beings and animals need a dose of their own medicine. But, an eye for an eye? hmmm?
Report Post »Libertyluvnmomma
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 10:46pmThat is totally wrong. Jesus spoke about that. he said , “Nay to an eye for an eye”give them (your foe/enemy) your tunic and your cloak as well. What are you reading/ the Jim Wallis Bible for Religious Imbeciles?
Report Post »ADNIL
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 11:33amI say, let the punishment fit the crime. Prison is too good for these monsters.
Report Post »netmail
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 12:44pmOn par with serial murders, child rapists, etc……death penalty immediately. (if there is NO doubt) Sorry lawyers. (Im fed up with long, drawn out crime stories with multiple victims who never should have been victims in the first place)
Report Post »commonsenseguy
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 11:31ami wish i could chain their sorry worthless butts up,gag and gut them, then lock them in a room with ants and rats,and then throw away the key, if you compared dog crap to these idiots,dog crap is more human than they are,
Report Post »Darla_K
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 11:30amCongratulations to the officer who was alert and found the people chained in the locked room. This is a outrage and obviously the perps wanted “free” money from the government instead of being law abiding citizens doing their part for our nation. We need to demand a punishment so great for these 3 people that others will think twice before doing this to helpless people.
Report Post »commonsenseguy
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 11:37amyou can bet some liberal attorney will defend them pro bono and will claim they are insane just to get them a lesser penalty, but what would expect when dogs sleep to gather, they will make the victims the bad people and will use their mental handicaps to the worthless pieces of craps advantage,they should let the victims families have about an hour each with these worthless parasites,and as many that want to get their time in the better,
Report Post »Fredom4u
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 3:41pmThis could have gone on for much longer had it not been for a sharp officer. Just look at the 60 times officers had the chance to save Jaycee Dugard!
Report Post »HD Veteran
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 11:25amEntitlements in Action.
Any bets on the responsible parties owning Che t-shirts?
Report Post »jgary
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 4:04pmIt’s ironic. Che hated Black people. My son is mentally handicapped. I am a disabled vet. No one gives us money. I don’t take it from anyone. I pay my way and my son’s way. His Mother even left him. But why do Women get the right to kill unborn babies and claim abuse from husbands while the liberal courts always give them the caretaker of children when they take drugs and have there useless boyfriends abuse the children. Yes, I‘ve been through the court systems to fight for my son’s life.
Report Post »goodinohio
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 11:19amIs Glenn, Rush, Levin, Hannity ok?
Report Post »Lesterp
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 11:25amThey are fine! It was a liberal scam of course.
Report Post »The Gooch
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 11:42amYou are a crass d!ck and your words should stay up us a testament to the lazy shamelessness of partisan politics. Govt. fails in one area that is absolutely unacceptable.. and you take a cheap swipe. Those names you mentioned are by no means sacred cows to me, but the care of those who can’t care for themselves thru no fault of their own is. May whatever power you bow to never see you at the mercy (or lack thereof) of others because you can’t defend or care for yourself. “Good” in Ohio? What a joke.
Report Post »kcares
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 5:52pmHow dare you!
Report Post »rienheart
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 10:44amGovernment enabled, Government funded, Government Unintended Consequences. Welfare, Food Stamps, Social Security, Unemployment 99′ers, All of you on the Government Dole. This is a Warning to you. This can happen to you, if you are recieving any Government Payments automatically. You are a Target of Criminals who Prey on Government Handouts. It is Easy Money. They know all it takes is to have a Few of you chained in the basement to recieve and cash your monthly checks, and when they can dispose of you, but still recieve your checks, they will disappear you permantly.
Report Post »Meyvn
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 10:36amNice.
Report Post »copatriots
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 10:31amThe law has become paralyzed, and there is no justice in the courts. The wicked far outnumber the righteous, so that justice has become perverted. Habukkuk 1:4
Evil prevails when justice is not swift.
May God bless and protect these precious victims as well as all the poor among us.
Report Post »barber2
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 10:20amJust another case of ‘redistributing” your tax dollars…
Report Post »progressiveslayer
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 10:09amThe only way to stop ‘gaming’ the system is to have no system,it’s the only way to stop it,they’re all unconstitutional programs anyway.Charities are for handicapped people and people who cannot take care of themselves,it’s not the governments purview.
Report Post »The Gooch
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 11:10amThere is SUPPOSED to be a system of review set up to check on such folks. Govt. often doles this responsibility out to agencies. Someone (either in govt. or from an agency) wasn’t doing his/her/their job. I don‘t want to live in a society that won’t take care of the least of us, who thru no fault of their own, can’t take of themselves. I have no problem stepping (or maybe jumping with a running a start) over the obese, the junkies, the winos and the just plain lazy. Govt. HAS to protect these folks because historically, most societies treat them like animals… especially when others’ entitlements are threatened. Or our delicate sensibilities won’t allow us to dine in the same area. No more shucking people into glorified holes otherwise known as ‘institutions.’
Report Post »I’m all for taking a chainsaw to Medicaid, Medicare and even Social Security (Social Security Disability is the new welfare lottery). I’m not for taking a step back even a quarter century in the treatment of the developmentally disabled. Then again, even on this forum, those human beings are often regarded as throw aways.
UnitedStatesOfAmerica
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 11:25amTo PROGRESSIVESLAYER:
That’s just STUPID.
Report Post »progressiveslayer
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 3:05pmNone of these social programs are constitutional and as I’ve said we have charities to help handicapped people and those who cannot take care of themselves.There‘s so much fraud in all these programs it’s shocking the amount of money,has to be in the billions over time.If you think my opinion is callous that’s fine,I’ll stick with the constitution on this subject.
Report Post »UnitedStatesOfAmerica
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 5:16pmThe victims were handing over government checks to the caretakers. The article does not state that the caretakers were part of a government program. The program could be charitable or the victims could have been kidnapped. The police did a great job. If you want to stick to the constitution then gather the facts first.
Report Post »progressiveslayer
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 6:46pmThe checks were from a government agency,odds are it’s either welfare or ssi two unconstitutional programs rife with fraud waste and abuse,those are the facts unless you have some inside info as to the exact source of the checks.
My personal opinion of these programs isn‘t germane they’re unconstitutional and if you think they are I suggest you read the constitution, find authorization for these programs and share it with us,a lot of libs will state the general welfare clause,no that‘s not it and you won’t find it in there.We have the social security act of 1935,just because congress passed a law doesn‘t mean it’s constitutional, an example will be obamacare passed into law but will be found unconstitutional,not withstanding four leftists on the court,5-4 strike down just prior to the Marxist in chiefs defeat in 2012.
Report Post »UnitedStatesOfAmerica
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 9:09pmI understand Medicare, Medicaid, SSI etc. That does not mean the caretakers are involed in a government program. The caretakers were stealing their checks. Are you stating that it would not have happened had the victims not had this income?
Report Post »The Gooch
Posted on October 17, 2011 at 10:43amSomewhere between anarchy and entitlement MIGHT lie humanity. The state (be it at the local, state or federal level) has always assumed some level of care for the mentally ill and mentally disbled. This can be seen thru historical review thru the Western world. It seems the only the most deplorable regimes in history believe in eliminating the least amongst us.
Report Post »You wanna argue the Constitution? Fine. Some of these folks can’t vote, own weapons, decide where they’re gonna live and who gets to be their taskmaster. So what’s the easy answer here? It‘s somebody else’s problem… or at least sure as hell shouldn’t be yours. Wow. That sounds like a progressive player to me.
I believe there is a lot of truth in judging the health of a society by how it treats its children, elderly and disabled. There is no quick and easy solution… unless you believe in the euphemism euthanasia (otherwise known as murder) for your ‘final’ solution. Count me out of that club. States in the U.S. have provided facilities and staff for centuries. Only thru scrutiny (and legislation) have we RECENTLY started treating these folks like human beings.
Also, I suspect these three criminals went around collecting folks from agencies. I’ve seen it happen and at some point, a state govt. gives a “yea” or “nay” on such action. I would be surprised to find thru review that no one in social serices knew who was supposed to be responsible for the victims in question.
SamIamTwo
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 10:02amYah think any of our potential presidents are going to close up these loopholes that allow people to take advantage of the system? These are the love and caring laws.
Nah, they will plus up the government for greater oversight…in other words throw money at it. Your money.
Report Post »Sheepdog911
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 10:15amI’m sure that those getting the checks is this story were simply looking for economic equality. The Gov’t has an App for that, so they went for it. … There are some crimes that the best penalty should be identical treatment for the rest of their lives. The people responsible for this belong in the deepest darkest hole we can find, and certainly not one that gives them any civil rights. Here’s you chain, in a dark room with a honey bucket and only fed at a level equal to what you gave these poor souls.
Report Post »SamIamTwo
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 10:00amAnd the perps are of what race?
I betcha that there are more cases like this throughout the US…it’s a loop hole with no oversight…
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 9:51amWhat Punishment… would fit this Crime?
Report Post »Dustyluv
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 10:00amRoasted on a large open grill.
Report Post »Rolled in broken glass and salt.
Just feet dangling in chum filled shark infested water.
But…they will get a long prison term that you and I have to pay for instead…How nice of us.
salvawhoray
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 11:20amhang the person on a pole hanging over a boat and watch a great white shark jump out the water and bite them in half.
Report Post »They can put it on pay per view and just from the people that watch shark week they will make a crap load of money.
FrankSpeak
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 11:29amA slice across their throats until they bleed dry!
Report Post »selenesteets
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 11:53amremove negative and dangerous elements from the general population in the name of safety and leave the punishment up to God
Report Post »SamIamTwo
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 12:44pmWe could reverse the, “One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself”. Treat them as they have treated their victims. Seems fair to me.
Report Post »Drakkhanlord
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 9:51amWhen Seconds Count , Police are minutes away…
Report Post »Govt Safety is BS …Just waste of Money and Time.
Buy a weapon , Train with the weapon and Protect yourselves , Look after your neighbors and fellow Americans …
If a Criminal Knows you are Armed , They find someone who isnt…
Get off your butt and join the Marines
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 9:51amDisgusting! I hope that the people responsible for this atrocious crime never see the outside of a prison for the rest of their lives, or better yet, hopefully they will be repeatedly raped over and over leading up to receiving a lethal injection!
Report Post »progressiveslayer
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 10:45amMaybe an aids injection from repeated raping,the perps need to die slow for they are indeed vile creatures.
Report Post »BrerRabbit
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 9:48amAnother unexpected outcome of the guv’mint check!
Report Post »Dustyluv
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 10:02amYes…and it happens all the time too.
Report Post »The_Almighty_Creestof
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 9:47amNow this is what you all need to get in a froth over…not defending the arrest of people lawfully transacting business in a bank where they have an account.
There is enough evil to fight without manufacturing it to direct your anger at.
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 11:44amLawfully, in the bank my ____________________. They were there to incite a riot. If they were so enraged by Citibank, why didn’t they close their account three or four years ago when the banks got the bank out. Once more the useful idiots think they are sending a unified message. The only message I receive is they are idiots.
Now if we could only post messages to that subject where it belongs. Blaze admins, you need to fix the Citibank story to accept comments or did you disable on purpose. If so, post a message that no comments will be allowed.
Report Post »The_Almighty_Creestof
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 12:59pmI have never seen so many morons posting on one site. Did you all get a group rate?
Report Post »hersey10
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 9:46amWhy can’t those responsible be chained as punishment . It’s only right .
Report Post »The Gooch
Posted on October 16, 2011 at 11:49amBecause the law doesn’t know right from wrong. Lawyers will happily assert as much. I can guarantee you what will be protected in this story: The govt. and any corporations that were involved.
Report Post »