Calif. Couple Arrested For Allegedly Forcing Their 3 Children to Live in a Box for 4 Years
Parents of three children have been arrested for allegedly forcing an 11-year-old and two young teens to live in a box in the middle of California’s desert for years.
Police discovered the box on Wednesday as they searched the property of Mona Kirk, 51, and Daniel Panico, 73, located in the tourist-frequented destination of Joshua Tree.
The property had no electricity or running water and had several large holes as well as mounds of trash and human feces, according to deputies from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.
Officers first searched what they believed to be an abandoned travel trailer and found 30-40 cats being housed inside.
Authorities then discovered a large rectangular box made of plywood was located on the property, which was approximately 20 ft. long by 4 ft. high by 10 ft. wide.
Kirk and Panico’s children – who are 11, 13 and 14 – had been living in the box for four years, police allege.
Aside from living in the makeshift structure, authorities believe the children were not given enough food.
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The couple was arrested and charged with willful cruelty to a child and are currently being held in Morongo Basin Jail in lieu of $100,000 bail. It is not clear if the couple has legal representation or have made a plea.
Children and Family Services are now looking after the three siblings.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department and Morongo Basin Sheriff Station did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
