3 Caretakers Arrested for Locking 6-Year-Old in Dryer and Turning It On

Three individuals in Texas, Duncan Haven, Jaqory Gill, and Life Ford, have been apprehended on accusations of child endangerment after reportedly confining a 6-year-old under their care inside a dryer and activating it. The distressing incident unfolded on Monday, Nov. 11, leading to the arrest of the trio, as disclosed by the Harris County Constable Precinct 4.

The distressing episode came to light when law enforcement responded to a distress call regarding a child locked inside a dryer at a laundromat in Houston. Upon arrival, officers encountered the young victim visibly trembling and in tears, Constable Mark Herman revealed in a statement.

Investigations revealed that the child was under the supervision of Haven, aged 18, Gill, aged 20, and Ford, aged 19. Allegedly, the child became upset after misplacing a bag of chips, prompting Duncan to purportedly place him inside the dryer as a form of "punishment" and subsequently securing the door shut, according to Herman.

An affidavit obtained by PEOPLE detailed the harrowing account where Duncan allegedly forced the child into the dryer, with the young victim resisting by using his feet to fend off being placed inside. The document further alleges that Duncan forcibly repositioned the child within the dryer to prevent his escape, as evidenced by surveillance footage from the laundromat scrutinized by investigators.

During the distressing ordeal, Ford reportedly closed the dryer's door while Duncan held it shut, and Gill initiated the machine using a credit or debit card. The affidavit specifies that the child remained trapped inside for approximately a minute before being removed by Duncan, who then callously swung him around in a cart. However, Herman's statement contradicts this, asserting that the child endured around five minutes inside the dryer.

Witnesses at the scene promptly alerted the authorities and emergency medical services, who assessed the child before releasing him into the custody of his guardian. Meanwhile, the child's mother arrived at the scene and reprimanded the child for "being a baby" during their playtime, as per investigators, although the exact context of her statement remains unclear. Subsequently, law enforcement intervened, separating the mother from the child, who has not faced charges in connection with the incident.

Upon attempting to arrest Gill, Ford purportedly interfered by pushing a deputy's arm to facilitate Gill's escape on foot. However, Gill later agreed to surrender himself after being contacted via FaceTime on the victim's mother's phone.

The nature of the relationship between the three suspects, or their individual connections to the child or the child's mother, remains ambiguous. Haven faces charges of child endangerment and is currently detained on a $75,000 bond, as indicated by online court records from Harris County.

Gill has been charged with endangering a child and evading arrest, while Ford, initially accused of Interfering with the Duties of a Public Servant, was subsequently charged with endangering a child. Both Gill and Ford have been released on $100 bonds each.