Warning: This article contains allegations of abuse which some readers may find distressing.
Shocking footage has captured the moment a young woman was found locked in a dog kennel by her foster carer.
There are seemingly more and more cases of young people across the world being kept in horrifying conditions by their parents or caregivers, with three children in Spain seeing sunlight for the first time in years earlier this year when police finally rescued them from a 'house of horrors'.
Another American young adult was finally found after he set his house on fire to escape his stepmother, who had kept him there in a small room with very little food for over 20 years.
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In the latest case, a 22-year-old, who police say has severe mental and physical disabilities, was discovered by a neighbour after he heard her terrified screams from the dog kennel where she had been locked.
Justin Anderson, her 24-year-old neighbour, headed across when he 'heard something that didn't sound right at all', and quickly pulled out his phone to record what was going on.
He quickly discovered that there was a woman who had been 'caged like an animal' and was pounding on the door begging to be let out.
Anderson shared his footage with police after a 911 call, and they now believe that he could have saved her life, as she was dressed in just a t-shirt and jogging pants despite the cold weather in Texas.
Shortly after, the woman's carer, 60-year-old Kandice 'Candy' Thompson was arrested and charged with kidnapping and abusing the vulnerable adult in her care.
Thompson is well known in the area for having fostered many kids over the years but according to Anderson, this wasn't the first time that the young woman had been left locked in the dog kennels.
After helping to save her life, he issued a warning to others about keeping an eye out for people who you might think are safe
He said: "Keep an extra ear and eye out. If you see something, hear something, say something, obviously, be very mindful and wary. Because once something happens like that, it opens your eyes about how much evil there is out there.
"We need more caring and loving people, you know. And say if that woman [locked up] did have issues and Candy, couldn't deal with it, well there's help out there.
"She should have got that help instead of locking the kid up in a cage so many times."
He added: "You never, never trust anybody 100 per cent because like just what happened, you never know who your neighbour is. Some people have dark sides that are hidden."
Anson police chief Daniel Graziose later confirmed that the woman had been treated for 'minor injuries' and was released to a family member after a brief hospital visit.
She is now 'fine and physically healthy', but investigations will continue into Ms Thompson, who had reportedly adopted the girl when she was just two.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence regarding the welfare of a child, contact the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000, 10am-8pm Monday to Friday. If you are a child seeking advice and support, call Childline for free on 0800 1111, 24/7.
Topics: Crime, Mental Health
James Moorhouse