Donna Jung, 57, and Helecia Morris, 41, were found guilty on Friday of endangering a child after authorities discovered the boy was kept locked in a room with no furniture, lights or toys, and no access to a bathroom.
According to prosecutors, the boy had been kept this way for 40 weeks and three days in a home in Brick Township, New Jersey. It was further revealed that the boy had been prevented from using the bathroom and was excluded from socializing with the rest of the family.
The case came to light on January 9th, 2016 when officers from the Brick Township Police Department and representatives from the Division of Child Protection and Permanency responded to a wellness check on Morris’ biological 8 year old son. Upon arriving, the officers found the child locked in his room in unsanitary conditions that smelled of urine. Consequently, the boy and two other minors were removed from the home and placed in foster care.
Two days later, Morris and Jung were arrested and now both face up to 10 years in prison. Following the jury’s guilty verdict, Morris and Jung were immediately remanded into custody and will remain in the Ocean County Jail until their July 7th sentencing hearing.