Latest news with #BranndonMosley
CBS News
22-05-2025
- CBS News
New Jersey couple accused of abusing child for years to stay in jail until trial: "domestic torture"
New Jersey couple accused of abusing child ordered to remain in jail until trial New Jersey couple accused of abusing child ordered to remain in jail until trial New Jersey couple accused of abusing child ordered to remain in jail until trial A New Jersey woman accused of holding her daughter captive in their own home appeared before a judge Thursday. Brenda Spencer and her boyfriend Branndon Mosley were ordered to be held in jail until trial. Camden County prosecutors said the couple from Gloucester Township beat Spencer's daughter, who is now 18, with a belt and locked her in a dog crate for a year with her hands handcuffed behind her back. The victim told investigators that Mosley sexually assaulted the victim multiple times and that Spencer failed to do anything about it. While prosecutors and defense attorneys referred to Mosley as the victim's stepfather, the Camden County Prosecutor's Office confirmed that the couple was not legally married. "What our victim has suffered — physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological abuse — is nothing short of domestic torture," Camden County Prosecutor Grace MacAulay said. During a detention hearing, Deputy First Assistant Prosecutor Kelly Testa from the Camden County Prosecutor's Office laid out details of life inside the couple's home. The victim told authorities she was confined to a bare room for hours with only a bucket for a toilet and that at one point, she was chained to a toilet by her ankles. Testa said Mosley sexually abused Spencer's daughter when she was 7 or 8 years old while she was sitting on his lap while watching a football game and again when she was 13. The couple is accused of depriving the girl of her education, and at times, food, during the seven years that she was supposed to be homeschooled. The victim was punished for talking back and not doing her chores, like cleaning up animal feces, Testa said. There were five Great Danes, one husky, two other dogs and 26 chinchillas in the house, along with birds, snakes and bearded dragons. The victim lived in the home with her 13-year-old sister, who observed some of the abuse, Testa said. The abuse only stopped when the victim ran away from home on May 8, Testa said. "What we heard today, it's just unfathomable to me," Gloucester Township Police Chief David Harkins said. The evidence includes photos of the victim's injuries, text messages between the defendants, statements from neighbors and a confession from Mosley. Testa said Mosley admitted that he used to drink and when asked if he sexually abused the victim, said he didn't remember, but that it could have happened. Superior Court Judge Gwendolyn Blue described the defendants' alleged conduct as barbaric and dangerous. The couple is charged with kidnapping, assault and endangering the welfare of a child, among other crimes. They face life in prison if convicted. Blue ordered Spencer to have no contact with either of her daughters unless ordered by the family court or New Jersey Division of Child Protection & Permanency. Mosley's parents were in court to support their son, but they did not want to speak on camera. Defense attorneys for both defendants also declined to comment. If you need to speak with a counselor about child abuse, you can call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 800-422-4453.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Yahoo
Teen held captive by South Jersey couple for years escapes: Here's what we know
Brenda Spencer, 38, and Branndon Mosley, 41, are facing kidnapping, aggravated assault, and other charges after officials say an 18-year-old who endured years of abuse by the couple was able to escape captivity from a South Jersey home last week.
Daily Mail
14-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Teenage girl escapes house of horrors where mom and man held her captive for SEVEN YEARS doing the unthinkable
A teenage girl miraculously escaped a house of horrors where she was held captive and allegedly abused for seven years by her mother and stepfather. The 18-year-old girl escaped her captivity from the suburban home in Gloucester Township, New Jersey on May 8 with the help of a neighbor. Once free, she told police about the horrific conditions she endured since 2018 when her mother Brenda Spencer, 38, pulled her from school. After being removed from the sixth grade, she was allegedly forced to live in a padlocked bathroom where she was kept chained up, according to the Camden County Prosecutor's Office. The victim also told law enforcement that her stepfather, 41-year-old Branndon Mosley, sexually abused her for years and beat her with a belt. He allegedly withheld food from the girl and sexually abused her while her hands were chained. She also had allegedly been forced to live in a dog crate for a year that was meant for the couple's Great Danes, Chief of Gloucester Township Police David Harkins said at a press conference. Her parents also kept her in a bare room with nothing but a bucket, which she was forced to use instead of a bathroom. The victim alleged that she was forced to live in disgusting conditions, and an alarm system alerted Spencer and Mosley if she tried to escape. Harkins said that the victim didn't initially share the information with police, but later contacted them a week after her escape. He added that the case was one of the most 'despicable' their department had ever encountered. Authorities didn't immediately share how she escaped the home but said they met with the victim at a grocery store to take her statement. She declined domestic abuse services, but called police two days later to recount the full scope of the horrific abuse. Detectives discovered stomach-churning conditions when they searched the home, including a slew of dogs, chinchillas, and other animals that the girl was forced to live with. They also found a second girl living in the home, who was just 13 years old. Both girls were removed from school and were allegedly being homeschooled during the abuse. Neighbors told local NBC affiliate, WCAU-TV, that the family rarely left the home and they never saw the two girls living there. Other community members were disgusted by the allegations, with one noting, 'You have to be mentally disturbed to do something like that.' Spencer and Mosley were arrested and face a slew of charges relating to kidnapping, neglect, and assault, including one count of third-degree aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Mosley also faces sexual assault charges and endangering the welfare of a child by using sexual contact. Spencer was reportedly unemployed, and Mosley worked as a train conductor. They were both jailed and await detention hearings. 'What this young woman survived was absolutely horrific,' Camden County Prosecutor Grace MacAulay told reporters during a press conference. MacAulay added that the girl endured 'heinous, years-long torture,' that flew under the radar because she was homeschooled. The county prosecutor pointed out the 'flaws' in the educational system that allowed the abuse to occur for seven years. She said that although homeschooling may be the right choice for some families, in this case, it aided in hiding the tragic abuse. Spencer and Mosley were charged on Saturday and await their first court hearing, which is scheduled for Friday. The Camden County Prosecutor's Office Special Victims Unit is asking any community members with additional information on the abuse to come forward.
